The information released on Sunday is to be taken with caution. According to Axios, citing classified US information, Cuba has reportedly acquired over 300 military drones. The regime leaders have recently considered using them against the US base in Guantanamo Bay, at the extreme end of the island, and possibly even against US territory.
This publication comes at a time of high tension between the two countries, with Cuban officials accusing Washington of laying the political groundwork for an intervention against the regime. “When we think about this type of technology being so close to us, […] it is concerning,” noted a senior US official anonymously to Axios, highlighting “a growing threat.” According to him, Cuba has obtained attack drones from Russia and Iran since 2023 and is seeking to acquire more.
“The US government is building, day by day, a fraudulent case to justify a ruthless economic war against the Cuban people and a potential military aggression,” reacted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. He accuses certain press outlets of playing into the hands of the US, promoting slander and echoing insinuations from the US government itself. Deputy Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio denounced the “increasingly implausible accusations” from their side.
Donald Trump believes that Cuba, located 150 kilometers off the coast of Florida, represents “an extraordinary threat” to US national security. He has threatened to “take control” of Cuba and even hinted at sending an aircraft carrier there.
In addition to the US embargo in place since 1962, Washington has enforced an oil blockade on the regime since January, only allowing the arrival of a single Russian oil tanker. The US also announced tougher sanctions against Cuba in early May. Against this backdrop, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana on Thursday for an exceptional meeting with senior Cuban officials as the two countries engage in difficult negotiations.
The United States is also seeking to indict former Cuban president Raúl Castro, 94 years old, based on an incident from 1996 when two civilian planes piloted by Fidel Castro opponents were shot down.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated in mid-April that his country was “ready” to face a potential US military aggression. The civil defense of the regime has recently distributed a “family guide” for protection in the face of military aggression, as reported by several official provincial websites.
