Spanish analyst Yago Rodríguez, an expert in defense and international affairs, stated that “Cuba is next on the natural list” of possible military actions by the United States in the Western Hemisphere.
His statements were made during an interview on the YouTube channel The Wild Project, in episode #356 titled “Military Matters: Can Maduro Be Executed? This is What the Delta Force Is Like.”
Rodríguez, considered one of the most recognized voices in military analysis in the Hispanic world, explained that "if you want to dominate the Western hemisphere… Cuba" is the inevitable next step following the recent U.S. operation that overthrew Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
In his view, the regime in Havana has survived for decades thanks to a unique strategic knowledge: “What the Cuban state has left is the know-how, through intelligence, on how to control a country. That’s what they taught the Venezuelan regime, how to control the military and prevent someone from rising up and staging a coup.”
The expert stated that this control is currently the main and almost the only strength of the Cuban system. “Thanks to that knowledge, the regime maintains power, but they no longer have a figure of prestige leading. Those who remain are the old guard who made a revolution in the 1950s, so just imagine. They are weak.”
Regarding Miguel Díaz-Canel's leadership, Rodríguez was blunt: “He lacks international presence; he is trying, but he is not significant.”
The Spanish expert recalled that in the past, the Cuban army played a prominent role in wars in Africa, although he emphasized that “that military power has disappeared.”
For the analyst, the current context places Cuba at the center of Washington's strategic radar, especially under the administration of Donald Trump and with Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
"The presence of Rubio is another important factor that could place Cuba at the top of the list of interest for the U.S.," he noted.
Rodríguez concluded with a reflection on the economic future of the Island. “In Cuba, there is a pie to be shared. It is an underdeveloped country that has been living without investment for a long time. (...) It doesn’t have to continue being the sacred cow that is still respected.”
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