Donald Trump apparently cannot get enough of wars. In an interview on the 'Axios Show', he left open the possibility of military intervention in Cuba. And he claimed it could be 'victorious', like the one in Venezuela.
According to the American president, 'it is possible' that an invasion of Cuba could resemble the swift capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.
The US has ratcheted up pressure on Havana in recent months. They have indicted Raúl Castro, the country's former president, on charges of 'murder of Americans' and imposed new sanctions. These add to earlier ones that were already strangling the Cuban economy. Also, since January, they have imposed a fuel embargo on Cuba, exacerbating the country's energy crisis.
Power outages last up to 20 hours a day and have limited access to health services, transportation, and education.
Cuba like Venezuela
The imposition of sanctions and the indictment of 95-year-old Raúl Castro raise suspicions that the US might potentially carry out an operation to 'kidnap' him. Something akin to the abduction of Nicolás Maduro from Caracas.
According to Donald Trump, Marco Rubio is handling the intervention in Cuba. / REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Statements from US officials, from Donald Trump to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are full of threats toward Havana. And the American president, speaking to Axios, comparing Cuba to Iran, said that Havana could be more easily defeated.
He said that the war in Iran requires more time because Tehran has a stronger military and is far away.
The journalist asked Trump whether an operation in Cuba could develop similarly to the mission in Venezuela. 'Probably. It is possible,' the American president replied.
'These places are close. While if you look at Iran, that is a very long journey. You know, I flew to that region a few times and, unrelated to this, but you fly for 18 hours, you fly for a long time. Venezuela is relatively close and Cuba is like playing hopscotch.'
The American president, a real estate businessman, has already assessed the financial benefit of an operation in Cuba. 'Venezuela has oil. Cuba does not. Cuba is nice in terms of real estate and they have a nice coastline,' he said.
Plans for military action
Although Donald Trump says he would prefer to take Cuba 'in a friendly way,' to make a peaceful takeover of the island, the US is making military plans.
According to Axios, there are plans for military response in a warlike manner in case the country's authoritarian regime collapses. Something they estimate could happen even this summer. The reasons are clear: the pressure on the island and its government is suffocating. And citizens are suffering from shortages of fuel and many basic goods as a consequence of sanctions and the embargo.
Also, Cuba's once-powerful military has weakened after the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s. Much of its capabilities rely on Soviet-era equipment, ammunition, and armored vehicles.
Marco Rubio / REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Nevertheless, US intelligence agencies claim that it has recently acquired more than 300 military drones. Also, that Havana plans to use them to attack the US base at Guantánamo Bay, as well as US military ships and possibly Key West, Florida. This could be used by the US as a pretext for military intervention in Cuba.
'Flexible' timeline
Despite the American president admitting that there are plans for invasion or other military action in Cuba, he did not say when it could happen. He said the timeline remains 'flexible.'
However, he said, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, son of Cuban immigrants, 'is very involved.'
Cuba pushes reforms
The US demands that Cuba change its political and economic model, which sanctions and the embargo have pushed to its limits.
On Friday, Havana announced a series of reforms that will move its economy toward the free market. These are 176 sweeping measures aimed at further decentralizing Cuba's state-controlled economy.
The plan includes more room for private businesses, imports and exports without state mediation, free hiring of staff, permission for private banks and investments by Cubans abroad. It even allows fast-food chains to set up on the island.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio admit that they are pursuing a policy of maximum pressure to change the island's political and economic system, which has survived almost six decades despite US pressure. Possibly, they will ultimately choose to use military force as well. And it is at least absurd for them to claim that Havana threatens Washington's security.
