April 17, 2026 | 07:15 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday said, "We don't want that [confrontation] but it is our duty to be ready to avoid it… and if it were unavoidable, to win it."
Diaz-Canel made the remarks in Cuba's capital Havana during a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of the US's failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion — a CIA-backed operation launched after US-owned properties and businesses on the island were nationalized by Fidel Castro and his fellow revolutionaries.
Diaz-Canel told thousands gathered for the event that the nation is "ready" for another attack as US President Donald Trump continues to threaten the tiny southern neighbor.
Cuba and the US: A long and contentious history between neighbors
The US and Cuba have been archenemies since the country's 1959 revolution and Trump has breathed new life into the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, a US policy designed to thwart European meddling in the Western Hemisphere.
Late last year, Trump ordered US warships to the Caribbean to sink what the US has described as drug smuggling boats in the region.
In January, Trump cited the policy when the US military arrested Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and extradited him to the US to stand trial on drug trafficking charges.
After Maduro's abduction, Trump ordered a blockade of oil and gas to Cuba and began threatening that "Cuba's next."
After launching a war against Iran on February 28, Trump has again floated the idea of "taking" Cuba, which has also suffered massive nationwide blackouts as a result of the US oil blockade.
Diaz-Canel: 'Cuba is a besieged state'
In his Thursday remarks, Diaz-Canel called the current situation "very grave," yet he also drew on the Socialist ideals espoused by Fidel Castro at the start of the Cuban revolution.
Further, he rejected Trump's claims that Cuba is "a failing nation," accusing the US of looking for a pretext for action.
"Cuba is not a failed state. Cuba is a besieged state," said Diaz-Canel. "Cuba is a state facing multidimensional aggression: economic warfare, an intensified blockade and an energy blockade."
Recently, talks between both sides — designed to reduce tensions — have been ongoing, yet few details have emerged.
The trade embargo that the US placed on Cuba in response to its revolution remains in place nearly 70 years later.
Read: Pope Leo Excoriates 'Tyrants' Waging War Instead of Peace
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Russian Oil Tanker Docks in Cuba, First Since US Blockade
15 hari lalu
The tanker carrying some 730,000 barrels of crude oil is sanctioned by the US, the EU and the UK amid the war in Ukraine.
US Lets Russian Oil Tanker Approach Cuba Despite Blockade
17 hari lalu
US President Donald Trump said he had "no problem" with Russia or another country delivering oil to Cuba as it faces an acute energy crisis.
'Cuba Is Next': Trump Hints at U.S. Action After Iran
18 hari lalu
Trump's comments came as tensions between Washington and Havana remain high, with the U.S. president recently increasing pressure on Cuba.
Cuba Seeks Vatican's Help to Ease U.S. Oil Embargo
20 hari lalu
Havana has petitioned the Vatican to mediate between Cuba and the United States amid the worsening energy crisis on the island.
UN Pushes Emergency Plan for Cuba Aid Amid US Talks
21 hari lalu
The UN has presented an aid action plan for Cuba to US officials, which even involves fuel tracking models.
Trump Threatens Cuba Takeover During Power Crisis
30 hari lalu
President Donald Trump signals a potential takeover of Cuba as the island faces a total power grid collapse due to U.S. oil blockades.
Cuba Hit by Island-Wide Blackout amid Trump Oil Blockade
30 hari lalu
The Cuban government said it is probing a "complete disconnection" of the nation's electrical system.
Cuba: Protesters Attack Ruling Party's Office Amid Blackouts
32 hari lalu
Long, daily blackouts ignited by a US oil blockade have pushed Cuban residents to the edge.
US Greenlights Resale of Venezuelan Oil to Cuba
49 hari lalu
US President Trump had vowed to stop Venezuelan oil from reaching Cuba, sparking a crisis on the island. Now the US is easing its restrictions.
Cuban Forces Exchange Fire with US-Registered Boat, 4 Killed
49 hari lalu
Cuba reported an armed attack from a boat registered in the state of Florida, United States, on Wednesday
