The President of the United States, Donald Trump, assured this Monday that he could have “the honor” of “taking Cuba”, referring to the possibility of advancing an agreement with the Havana regime or even moving forward with a more direct intervention. The statements came during an event at the White House, in the midst of a severe energy crisis currently affecting the island
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During a round of questions with the press, Trump was asked whether his strategy towards Cuba could follow a pattern similar to that applied by Washington in other international crises, such as those related to Venezuela or Iran. The president avoided going into specific details, although he hinted that he is keeping different options for political or diplomatic mediation open
. Donald Trump held a press conference
In his response, Trump argued that the Cuban regime is in an extremely fragile situation. The American president said that this is a “failed nation” that lacks resources and is going through a deep economic crisis. In that context, he assured that he could have “the honor” of taking Cuba.
Responding to the request for clarification as to exactly what that phrase meant, the president explained that he was talking about “taking Cuba in some way”, either through the possible liberation of the country or through a more direct action to change the political situation of the island. According to him, the United States has the capacity to act decisively if it deems it necessary
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Trump reiterated that the Caribbean country is going through a time of great institutional and economic weakness. Despite his criticism of the ruling regime, he also highlighted the qualities of the Cuban people and noted that many immigrants from the island managed to prosper in the
United States. The Cuban dictator Diaz-Canel with Raúl Castro.
Trump also stated that many Cubans living in the United States maintain the desire to return one day to their country of origin. He noted that many families have not returned to the island for decades and that new generations of exiles maintain a strong bond with their homeland
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The statements coincided with a new energy crisis in Cuba a. This same Monday, the country suffered a generalized blackout that left large areas without electricity supply. The authorities of the Cuban regime attributed the situation to US energy sanctions, while from Washington they maintain that the collapse responds to the structural deterioration of the socialist economic system that has governed the island
