SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — In a recent interview with NBC News' Meet the Press, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel asserted that the United States has no legitimate grounds for a military intervention in Cuba or for attempts to remove him from power. He emphasized that an invasion would not only be costly but would also destabilize regional security. However, he affirmed that Cubans would unite to defend their nation if such an event were to occur.
Díaz-Canel firmly stated, “If the time comes, I don’t think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba, or for the U.S. to undertake a surgical operation or the kidnapping of a president.” He elaborated that in the face of such aggression, Cubans would engage in a fight to protect their homeland, invoking the spirit of the national anthem, which states, “Dying for the homeland is to live.”
These remarks come amidst ongoing tensions between Cuba and the U.S., despite both nations acknowledging ongoing discussions, albeit without disclosing specific details. Díaz-Canel condemned the U.S. government's approach towards Cuba as comprising a “hostile policy,” and he criticized the U.S. for lacking the moral authority to demand anything from Cuba. He expressed Cuba’s willingness to engage in dialogue on any issues without preconditions, refraining from imposing demands on the U.S. regarding its political system, of which Cuba harbors numerous doubts.
Cuba has cited the U.S. energy blockade as a significant cause of its worsening economic situation, noting that the lack of petroleum is severely impacting essential services such as health care, public transportation, and the production of goods. Currently, Cuba produces merely 40% of its fuel requirements, and the country has faced significant challenges since it ceased receiving critical oil shipments from Venezuela due to U.S. military actions against the South American nation in early January. Following these actions, including the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration began a phased approach to address Venezuela’s protracted crisis.
The situation in Cuba saw a slight improvement with the arrival of a Russian tanker in March, which delivered 730,000 barrels of crude oil—Cuba's first oil shipment in three months. Russia has committed to sending additional tankers in the future, which could provide some relief to the energy crisis affecting the island.
Despite the Trump administration imposing potential tariffs on nations supplying oil to Cuba, it permitted this particular shipment to proceed. Trump had previously stated, “Cuba’s finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.” In light of these statements, Díaz-Canel acknowledged taking Trump’s warnings seriously, indicating that the Cuban leadership feels a deep sense of responsibility to protect its citizens, preserve its national projects, and safeguard its sovereignty.
