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The head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, held another meeting with Southern Command at a time marked by regional tensions, increasing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, and a deepening crisis on the island that continues to drive thousands of Cubans to emigrate.
The meeting took place with Lieutenant General Evan L. Pettus, who recently took over the leadership of the United States Southern Command, and focused on the situation in Cuba and the Caribbean, according to the U.S. Embassy in Havana through its social media.
The released image shows Hammer alongside the military high command at the SOUTHCOM headquarters in Doral, Florida, a setting rich in political and strategic symbolism.
Although the embassy provided few details, the context in which the meeting occurs is crucial. This is not the first time Hammer has met with Southern Command since taking on his role as chief of mission in Havana, but it is the first under a leadership different from that of Admiral Alvin Holsey, who recently retired after more than 37 years of service and is remembered for his openly critical stance against the Cuban regime.
In previous meetings, Hammer had discussed with Holsey about hemispheric security, human rights, and democracy, with an emphasis on the impact of the Cuban crisis on regional stability.
Holsey described Cuba as a "corrosive" factor in Latin America, pointing to its ties with powers such as Russia, China, and Iran, as well as its influence on irregular migration and insecurity in the hemisphere.
The change in leadership at Southern Command adds a new dimension to these contacts. Evan L. Pettus took command in December amidst a significant U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean and operations against alleged drug trafficking routes, an offensive that has raised concerns in the region due to its extent and proximity to countries such as Venezuela.
During his inauguration, Pettus stated that his administration will focus on strengthening cooperation with regional allies and addressing complex security challenges. Under his leadership, Southern Command oversees the increase of troops and military operations in an increasingly tense geopolitical context, where Cuba is once again central to analyses in Washington.
For many Cubans, both on the island and abroad, these types of meetings do not go unnoticed. Amidst power outages, shortages, repression, and unprecedented migration, the fact that the situation in Cuba is being discussed at the highest levels of the U.S. military reinforces the perception that the country remains a sensitive issue on the regional agenda.
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