Cuba Denounces US Drone Attack Claims as 'Ludicrous Pretext' for War
The Cuban embassy in the United States has rejected the Trump administration's assertions that Cuba intends to carry out drone strikes on American targets, labeling these claims as "increasingly implausible." An anonymous official from the White House informed Axios that since 2023, Cuba has procured more than 300 drones from Russia and Iran, with discussions about potential attacks on the Guantanamo Bay military base, US naval vessels, and Key West, Florida. However, Axios noted that US officials do not consider Cuba to be an immediate threat or actively plotting against American interests. Critics, such as former CIA director Robert Gates and journalist José Luis Granados Ceja, have described these allegations as a fabricated justification for military intervention. The embassy in the UK referred to the report as "contradictory disinformation."
Key facts
- Cuba has acquired over 300 drones from Russia and Iran since 2023.
- Axios reported that US officials do not believe Cuba is an imminent threat.
- The Cuban embassy invoked the right to self-defense under international law.
- The US has imposed a ramped-up oil blockade causing blackouts and healthcare crisis in Cuba.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently traveled to Cuba to pressure officials.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio has long sought regime change in Cuba.
- Former CIA director Robert Gates said a mass migration crisis is the only threat Cuba poses.
- The Cuban embassy in the UK called the claims 'ludicrous pretext' for war.
Entities
Institutions
- Axios
- Cuban Embassy in the US
- Cuban Embassy in the UK
- CIA
- Department of Justice
- CBS News
- Common Dreams
- Drop Site News
- Progressive International
- Pod Save America
- Naked Capitalism
Locations
- Cuba
- United States
- Guantanamo Bay
- Key West
- Florida
- Havana
- Mexico City
- Iran
- Russia
- Middle East
- Strait of Hormuz