Trump is pressuring Díaz-Canel to step down from power in Cuba and hints that he ‘will have the honor of taking’ the island
The message was reportedly delivered as part of Washington's pressure campaign against the Cuban leadership.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that the United States could "take Cuba," and noted that, should it happen, he would consider it an "honor" to lead such action, referring to the current situation on the island and Washington's possible measures vis-à-vis the Cuban regime.
During an exchange with journalists, the president maintained that the Caribbean nation is going through a moment of weakness and raised different scenarios about what, he said, could happen with respect to Cuba.
"I believe I will have the honor of taking Cuba (...) if I release it, I take it. I think I can do whatever I want with it," he said.
The statement came when he was asked whether Cuba could become a new arena for international action, in a comparison with other cases such as Iran or Venezuela. Trump responded that he could not put it exactly in those terms, though he noted that the country is "speaking" to them and described it as a "failed nation."
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Trump describes Cuba as a weakened nation
In his remarks, the president also stated that Cuba is currently "a very weakened nation." He noted that, in his opinion, the country has been ruled for decades by violent leaders.
Trump specifically mentioned the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and his brother Raul Castro, who headed the island's regime for long periods. According to the U.S. leader, both exercised power through violence.
"That's how they governed," Trump affirmed, adding that the Cuban political system was sustained for years through that type of leadership.
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References to Cuban exiles in the United States
As an example, he recounted the case of an acquaintance of his who started from scratch and ended up becoming the largest owner of gas stations in the country. He also mentioned the Fanjul family, linked to the sugar business, and noted that many Americans of Cuban origin express the desire to return to the island.
The Trump administration reportedly told Cuba that its president “has to go”
Amid these remarks, it also emerged that officials from the Trump administration reportedly conveyed to the Cuban regime that the island’s current president should step down from power. According to the information, the message was delivered as part of Washington’s pressure on Cuba’s leadership amid the political and economic crisis facing the country.
The talks come as both governments discuss possible economic and political changes in Cuba, including the release of political prisoners and the removal of some veteran officials associated with the historical line of the communist government founded by Fidel Castro.
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