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Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned that the United States could target the island through three potential strategies: provoking social unrest through economic pressure, taking control of Cuba’s economy or launching a military campaign.
Diaz-Canel made the remarks in an interview published on Monday by Spanish digital news outlet elDiario.es.
His comments came as Cuba faces a deepening economic crisis under U.S. President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign, which includes a fuel blockade and an expansion of sanctions.
“They are betting on three scenarios,” Diaz-Canel said.
Diaz-Canel said the first possible scenario would involve using economic pressure to create social unrest inside Cuba and then using that instability as grounds for intervention.
“One scenario is through economic strangulation to provoke social unrest, and for that social unrest to then give them the chance, under the pretext of humanitarian aid, to intervene,” he said.
Cuba has faced growing economic pressure as Washington tightens sanctions and maintains restrictions affecting fuel supplies to the island.
Diaz-Canel said the second scenario would involve continuing what he described as a coercive dialogue with Cuba while applying maximum pressure.
He said the purpose would be to gain control of the Cuban economy and use that control to bring about a change in the country’s political system.
The U.S. could seek “to seize the Cuban economy, to occupy the country economically and for that to then give them the possibility of provoking a change in the political system,” Diaz-Canel said.
He described political change as “the ultimate goal of the United States.”
In recent weeks, the U.S. has pressured several foreign businesses to stop operating in Cuba by threatening sanctions against companies and individuals that conduct business with state-run enterprises.
Washington has also imposed new sanctions on Diaz-Canel and members of his family, as well as members of the Castro family.
Diaz-Canel said the third possible scenario was direct military aggression.
“A third scenario is that of military aggression,” he said.
The Cuban president said all three possibilities had been mentioned by Trump and were repeatedly reflected in statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, himself, is Cuban-American.
Diaz-Canel defended Cuba’s right to prepare for the possibility of military action.
He said the country must be ready to defend itself in a way that would prevent both surprise and defeat.
His remarks came as Cuba continues to face an escalating economic crisis under the U.S. pressure campaign, including fuel blockade, expanded sanctions and measures targeting foreign businesses linked to Cuban state enterprises.
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