Cuba Prepares Military for Potential U.S. Aggression, Says Deputy Foreign Minister

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said the island is stepping up military readiness. He made the comments in an interview on Meet the Press that aired Sunday on Filmogaz.com.

Military posture and official warnings

Fernández de Cossío said it would be unrealistic to ignore the chance of conflict. He added that leaders hope such a scenario never unfolds and see no reason for it.

The deputy foreign minister said Cuba prepares its military for potential U.S. aggression. He emphasized continued vigilance given global developments.

Regional tensions and U.S. statements

Tensions rose after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Cuban officials view that action as raising the risk for the island.

U.S. leaders publicly suggested Cuba could be the next focus. Comments by the president and Secretary of State prompted particular concern in Havana.

Energy shortages and economic pressure

Cuban authorities link fuel shortages to U.S. coercive measures against potential suppliers. In January, an executive order threatened tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba.

Residents have faced frequent blackouts. Power grids collapsed on Saturday, causing a nationwide outage for the third time this month.

Diplomatic talks and red lines

Havana says regime change is not part of any negotiations with Washington. Fernández de Cossío called government composition a non-negotiable matter for any sovereign state.

He also dismissed U.S. calls for leadership change and criticized American political rhetoric. He challenged the idea that Cuba must alter its system as part of talks.