tOne day after Cuba was paralyzed by yet another nationwide blackout lasting 24 hours, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the island nation the next target of his administration’s aggressive foreign policy agenda.
Kabul 24: Speaking amid escalating regional instability, Trump predicted that regime change in Cuba is imminent and “a question of time,” following U.S. military actions against Iran.
The comments came during a White House event honoring Inter Miami CF, the 2025 MLS Cup champions. With stars like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez standing nearby—appearing visibly uncomfortable—Trump addressed team co-owner Jorge Mas, a prominent Cuban-American businessman. “You’re gonna go back,” Trump told Mas, adding that it would be “a great day” when Cuban exiles and others could celebrate major changes on the island.
He claimed Cuban leaders “want to make a deal so badly” and suggested negotiations were already underway, hinting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would soon be dispatched to advance talks.In a separate phone interview with CNN, Trump was even more direct: “Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon… They want to make a deal, and so I’m going to put Marco over there and we’ll see how that works out.” He emphasized that the current priority remains Iran—“We want to finish this one first”—but stressed that the U.S. has “plenty of time,” describing Cuba as “ready — after 50 years.”The remarks align with Trump’s broader “maximum pressure” campaign against Havana.
Intensified U.S. sanctions, combined with the cutoff of Venezuelan oil shipments following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, have deepened Cuba’s fuel crisis.
Analysts warn that the island’s fuel reserves could be exhausted by mid-to-late March 2026, potentially pushing the economy toward total collapse and triggering widespread blackouts and unrest.
While no precise timeline has been outlined, Trump’s repeated signals—including references to a possible “friendly takeover” and direct involvement in negotiations—suggest Cuba has become a central piece of his Latin American strategy.
This follows interventions in Venezuela and the ongoing conflict with Iran, shifting focus toward the Caribbean.
The approach risks heightening tensions across the region and could profoundly impact stability in Latin America, U.S. relations with leftist governments, and the long-standing U.S.-Cuba standoff.
