Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned on Monday that any American military aggression against the island would have “incalculable consequences.”
“The threats of military aggression against Cuba from the world’s largest military power are already known,” wrote Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on social media on Monday, May 18. “The threat alone is an international crime. Carrying it out would provoke a bloodbath with incalculable consequences, as well as the destruction of peace and stability,” he continued.
Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, the United States has intensified its policy of “maximum pressure” towards Cuba, with a clear goal: to provoke a regime change. The pressure has increased after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by American forces and the takeover of Venezuela’s oil production, which Cuba heavily relied on. Washington then moved to block oil deliveries from other countries to the island, accelerating the collapse of an already fragile electrical network.
“I believe I will have the honor of taking Cuba,” said Donald Trump himself, openly sharing his ambitions. “Taking Cuba, whether I liberate it or take it, I believe I can do what I want with it, if you want to know the truth,” he told journalists in March, also considering Venezuela as a mere “first step.” “I believe I will have the honor of taking Cuba. That would be good. It’s a great honor,” he added. When asked by Politico, the White House simply reiterated Trump’s statements, asserting that the country “will fail and we will be there to help.”
The military aspect of the situation took a new turn on Sunday, May 17. The media outlet Axios reported that some US intelligence officials believed that Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones and was considering attacks on the American base at Guantánamo Bay, military ships, or even the city of Key West in Florida. The Cuban embassy in the United States responded on Sunday with an official statement, suggesting that it was a false pretext aimed at justifying a strike against the island.
