Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated on Thursday his nation is prepared for a potential US attack following mounting pressure from President Donald Trump. The threat comes amid repeated warnings by Trump that Cuba could be “next” after Venezuela and Iran.
In Havana, Diaz-Canel addressed thousands at a rally marking the 65th anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, where US forces attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro’s government in 1961. Despite talks between Washington and Havana aimed at de-escalating tensions, progress has been minimal, according to US media reports.
Mariela Castro, daughter of former President Raul Castro, said Cubans desire dialogue with the US but without compromising their political system. Her father, who oversaw a historic rapprochement with the United States under Barack Obama that Trump later reversed, was reportedly indirectly involved in negotiations.
Diaz-Canel acknowledged the current situation is grave but emphasized Cuba’s socialist nature. The 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, launched by anti-Castro exiles from Miami, resulted in a humiliating defeat for the US forces. Six decades later, Washington has again placed Cuba under scrutiny following Maduro’s capture and the imposition of an oil blockade.
Diaz-Canel rejected the US portrayal of Cuba as a failed state, stating it is “a besieged state.” Cuban officials blame their economic crisis on the ongoing trade embargo imposed after Castro came to power.