Cuba Says US Using False Narrative to Maintain Blockade

By Al Mayadeen English

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel rejects US claims that Cuba threatens national security, saying they are used to justify sanctions and economic blockade.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has rejected accusations that Cuba poses a threat to US national security, saying such claims are intended to justify the tightening of sanctions and the continuation of the economic blockade against the island.

In a post on X, Díaz-Canel said the narrative lacks any logical basis or credible evidence, arguing that it contradicts historical facts and long-standing relations between the two countries.

He warned that continued escalation could have serious consequences for regional populations, stressing that Cuba “does not threaten anyone and does not fear threats.”

No hostile actions from Cuba against US

Díaz-Canel also noted that Cuba has not carried out any hostile actions against the US for more than six decades, while alleging that the country has instead been subjected to hostile operations originating from US territory, which he said resulted in thousands of Cuban casualties.

Amid ongoing US sanctions and restrictions on Havana, Díaz-Canel recently criticized remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accusing him of avoiding recognition of the blockade and shifting responsibility for Cuba’s economic difficulties onto internal factors.

He added that Washington, through significant political and financial investment, continues to pursue policies aimed at undermining the Cuban economy, while blaming Havana for the resulting hardship.

Trump frustrated by Cuban resistance

According to NBC News, US officials told President Donald Trump that the government of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel “could still fall by the end of the year” without direct military intervention, but the US president is unwilling to wait that long.

However, Trump is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated that Cuba’s government has not collapsed under Washington’s escalating pressure campaign, with reports indicating the administration is now examining possible military options against the Caribbean nation.

The report stated that Trump’s impatience has prompted the Pentagon to intensify contingency planning for a possible military attack targeting Cuba.

The development comes amid a broader US pressure campaign against Havana that has included sweeping sanctions, restrictions on oil shipments, financial measures, and threats of further escalation.

Rubio recently described Cuba as “an unacceptable status quo,” arguing that Washington cannot tolerate “90 miles from our shores, a failed state that also happens to be friendly territory for some of our adversaries.”

Havana rejects regime change pressure

The Trump administration has pursued what it calls a “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at forcing political change in Cuba through economic strangulation and diplomatic isolation.

The measures have contributed to fuel shortages, power outages, and mounting economic pressure on the island, though the Cuban government has maintained its position despite the sanctions campaign.

Earlier this year, Trump escalated aggression against Havana further by imposing an oil blockade targeting countries supplying fuel to Cuba while also threatening additional punitive measures.

In April, Díaz-Canel told NBC News he was prepared to “give his life for the revolution” if necessary.

“If the time comes, I don’t think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba,” the Cuban president said. “If that happens, there will be fighting and there will be a struggle. And we’ll defend ourselves. And if we need to die, we’ll die.”