Cuba is “preparing” for a potential U.S. invasion but assures its government does not want to worsen its relationship with the United States and Donald Trump, said the Cuban deputy foreign minister in an interview on Sunday, March 22.
“Our army is always ready,” said Carlos Fernandez de Cossio on American television NBC. “In fact, it is preparing these days for the possibility of a military aggression. Looking at what is happening in the world, we would be naive not to do so.” “But we hope it will not happen. We do not see why it would, how could it be justified?” the minister questioned.
“Cuba does not want conflict with the United States. We have the need and the right to protect ourselves. But we are ready to sit down and talk,” added Carlos Fernandez de Cossio.
Trump believes he will “have the honor of taking Cuba.” Washington, opposed to the communist regime since its rise to power in 1959, increased its economic pressure in January by cutting off all oil supplies to the island, right after overthrowing its main ally, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. In 1961, the United States failed to overthrow Fidel Castro’s regime in the failed Bay of Pigs operation.
On Monday, Donald Trump said he “believes” he will “have the honor of taking Cuba,” without specifying exactly what he meant. He also talked about “freeing” the country. Authorities in the country were working Sunday morning to restore electricity after another nationwide power outage on Saturday night, the seventh in about a year and a half.
The deputy minister, speaking in the NBC interview recorded before the latest cut, assured that his government is “acting as proactively as possible to deal with the situation.” “We really hope that fuel will reach Cuba in one way or another and that this U.S.-imposed boycott will not last and cannot be maintained indefinitely,” he said.
[Context: Cuba-U.S. relations tension due to potential invasion fears]
[Fact Check: Cuba experienced a nationwide power outage]
