Mar 22, 2026, 7:57 p.mMar 22, 2026, 7:57 p.m
Cuba does not rule out military aggression by the United States.Image: keystone
Cuba’s military is preparing for a possible U.S. deployment to the socialist-ruled island, according to a senior official. It would be naive to rule out military aggression by the United States, said Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio in an interview with the US broadcaster NBC News. However, one hopes that this does not happen. US President Donald Trump recently hinted at a “takeover” of the socialist island state.
«We frankly don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can tell you this: Cuba is a sovereign state. “Cuba would not accept becoming a vassal state or a country dependent on another state,” said the vice minister. The Cuban military is always prepared for possible aggression – and there are currently concrete steps in the context of the recent tensions.
Havana remains silent on talks with Washington
Relations between Havana and Washington have been strained since the 1959 revolution under left-wing revolutionary Fidel Castro. The situation worsened further in Trump’s second term in office. A US oil embargo has dramatically worsened the economic and humanitarian crisis in Cuba. The country had been in a severe economic crisis for years due to mismanagement, corruption and a US trade embargo. On Saturday (local time) there was the second island-wide power outage within a week.
Washington and Havana are holding secret talks at the same time. Fernández did not want to reveal in the interview when and where the two sides last met. However, Havana has ruled out changes to its political system. According to Fernández, the nature of the Cuban government, its structure and its members are not part of the negotiations. Only the Communist Party is allowed on the island. (sda/dpa)