The Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, denounced this Tuesday "the current military escalation in the Caribbean" and launched harsh criticisms against the United States, following the designation of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and several high-ranking officials of his regime as members of an international terrorist organization.
In a post on his X account, Rodríguez stated: "Cuba condemns the current military escalation in the Caribbean in the strongest possible terms and reaffirms its full support for Venezuela," referring to Washington's offensive against drug trafficking in the region.
The Cuban chancellor directly questioned the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, with a phrase that has gained traction on social media.
“Does anyone really think they will accompany young soldiers to risk their lives in a battle that is not theirs? Ask them if they ever went through Military Service,” he wrote.
Rodríguez appealed "to the people of the United States to stop this madness," referring to the Operation Southern Lance, a military maneuver led by the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, the largest in the world, currently deployed in the Caribbean.
The statement from the Cuban chancellor comes after the U.S. Government officially designated the Venezuelan president and several of his officials as members of a terrorist network linked to the Cártel de los Soles, an organization led by Chavista military personnel involved in drug trafficking, according to the Department of State.
The notification, published this Monday, November 24, in the Federal Register, provides "new tools" to Washington to intensify its military campaign in the Caribbean, where over 15,000 soldiers and F-35 fighter jets are involved in anti-drug operations.
In recent weeks, the U.S. fleet has destroyed around twenty drug boats in targeted bombings. President Donald Trump has not confirmed any imminent actions, but some sources suggest that the second military phase could begin in the coming days, possibly with undercover missions in Venezuelan territory.
The State Department asserts that its goal is to combat drug trafficking and dismantle the criminal networks linked to high-ranking chavista officials, while in Caracas and Havana there are fears that this may be the prelude to an operation to overthrow Nicolás Maduro.
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