US military chief Hegseth warns Cuba against acquiring military arms

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Cuba against acquiring military arms that could threaten the US, stating such actions would invite confrontation. Hegseth made these remarks during a visit to the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amidst increased US pressure on the Cuban government under President Trump. These comments follow reports of Cuba acquiring military drones and come as the US has threatened military intervention and imposed an energy blockade on the island. While Hegseth expressed a desire for a positive relationship, he did not rule out military action, emphasizing that options would be provided to the commander-in-chief. The US has also increased its military presence in the Caribbean.

During a visit to the US military base at Guantánamo Bay, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the United States. This warning comes as Washington has intensified pressure on Cuba through sanctions and an oil blockade. Hegseth stated that Cuba acquiring such weapons would be unwise and invite confrontation. Reports suggest Cuba has obtained military drones from Russia and Iran and is discussing plans to use them against the Guantánamo base and potentially Florida. Cuba has denied these reports, accusing the US of plotting for war. Hegseth's visit is part of a series of high-level US official visits to the region.

Cuba's top diplomat to the U.S., Chargé d'Affaires Lianys Torres Rivera, stated that recent U.S. sanctions on Cuban leaders and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro are a "pretext" by the Trump administration to justify military intervention. Speaking to the Associated Press, Rivera accused the U.S. of targeting Cuban civilians with its embargo and energy shipment blockade, causing severe hardship. She asserted that Cuba is not a threat to the U.S. and does not seek confrontation, but will resist any forceful attempts to change its government. Rivera also noted that while recent U.S.-Cuba discussions have been professional, Cuba will only enact internal reforms on its own terms, drawing parallels to U.S.-Vietnam relations. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have cited Cuba's ties with China and Russia as national security threats and have not ruled out military action.