US Secretary of State Skeptical of Diplomacy with Cuba as Trump Threatens Military Action

On April 17, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio once again threatened military intervention in Cuba, shortly after the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said previous presidents had considered intervening in Cuba for 50-60 years, but 'looks like I'll be the one to do it.' He added, 'I'd be happy to do it.'

Rubio, whose parents were Cuban exiles and who has long taken a hardline stance against Havana's socialist government, said the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully, but he was skeptical about achieving a diplomatic deal with the current government. 'The president's priority has always been a negotiated peace deal. That remains our priority with Cuba. But honestly, the likelihood of that happening with the current partner is not high,' he said.

Trump's top aides, including Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and other senior national security officials, have met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore improving relations. However, the US side left unimpressed, leading to additional sanctions against the Cuban government in the past week. Rubio remarked, 'For years, Cuba has been used to stalling and waiting for us to leave. This time they won't be able to stall. We are very serious and very focused.'

When asked whether the US would use force to change Cuba's political system, Rubio reiterated that a diplomatic solution is the priority but stressed that 'the president always has the right to do whatever is necessary to protect national interests.' He pushed back against suggestions this amounts to 'nation-building,' calling it a matter of national security.

Earlier, on April 16, US federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing Castro of ordering the shooting down of a civilian aircraft belonging to Cuban exiles in Miami in 1996. The charges, kept secret by a grand jury since April 2024, include murder and destruction of an aircraft.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment as a political stunt aimed at 'justifying the madness of a military invasion against Cuba.'

Also on April 16, the US Navy announced that the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its escort ships had arrived in the Caribbean Sea to participate in naval exercises with Latin American partners since March. The move coincided with the indictment, fueling speculation about a military intervention scenario similar to the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January.

The Trump administration has ramped up sanctions against Cuba, including a major sanction targeting the State Enterprise Management Group (Gaesa), run by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. Rubio announced that the sister of Gaesa's chairman had her green card revoked and was detained.

Rubio explained, 'Previous administrations allowed the families of Cuba's military elite, Iranian terrorists, and other despicable organizations to enjoy luxurious lives in our country with stolen blood money, while the people they oppressed suffered. That will no longer happen.'

On the Chinese side, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on April 17, 'China firmly supports Cuba in defending its national sovereignty and national dignity, and opposes external interference.'