On May 20, coinciding with Cuba's Independence Day, President Donald Trump labeled the Havana regime a "rogue state." He issued a warning against allowing hostile foreign military, intelligence, and terrorist activities just 90 miles from U.S. shores.
In a message commemorating the holiday, Trump stated, "The United States will not tolerate a rogue state that allows hostile foreign military, intelligence, and terrorist operations just 90 miles from our homeland." He added, "We will not rest until the Cuban people reclaim the freedom their ancestors fought for over a century ago."
Trump accused the Cuban communist regime of undermining political freedom for nearly 70 years, rejecting fair elections, and suppressing dissent. He attributed the collapse of the Cuban economy to corruption and control by the regime's elite.
The U.S. has also intensified sanctions and prosecutions targeting the Cuban government. According to Reuters, on May 18, the U.S. government added 11 Cuban officials, along with the Cuban Directorate of Intelligence (DI), the Ministry of the Interior, and the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), to its sanctions list. On May 20, four individuals, including former Cuban National Assembly President Raúl Castro, were indicted in connection with the 1996 shooting down of a Cuban exile group's aircraft, facing charges of murder, conspiracy to kill Americans, and aircraft destruction.
Simultaneously, the U.S. extended a conciliatory message to the Cuban people. Secretary of State Marco Rubio proposed $100 million in food and medical aid in a Spanish-language video message, emphasizing that the support should be distributed not through the Cuban government but via the Catholic Church or trusted humanitarian organizations.
Cuba quickly responded, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez criticizing the White House's message as a "rude statement based on misinformation." The Cuban government has consistently argued that U.S. sanctions and pressure exacerbate its economic difficulties.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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