The Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer stated in a video shared on social media that the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel might not remain in power until the end of the year.
The statement, marked by a tone of urgency and a direct challenge to Cuban leadership, comes after reports of the presence of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush approximately 60 nautical miles north of Varadero.
"This morning there were at most, at most, 343 days left, but after reading that the ultra-modern U.S. aircraft carrier George H. W. Bush is located 60 nautical miles north of Varadero," he said.
"And after recalling how the situation with Nicolás Maduro started, all the logic in the world leads me to think that they will not make it to the end of the year," he added.
The leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) went further and addressed the power elite on the Island directly.
"Díaz-Canel, Raúl Castro, Marrero Cruz, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of the FARC, the entire Castro family, and all those in the criminal gang that oppress and exploit the Cuban people, I believe the change is going to come sooner than anyone can imagine," he emphasized.
Ferrer stated that the majority of Cubans desire a swift end to the current political system and to put an end to oppression, misery, hunger, and "the constant abuses and crimes of that cruel and infamous tyranny."
The video concludes with a countdown message directed at the authorities: "You have no longer 343 days left; you have much less, I don't know how many days less, but I do know it’s many fewer. Tick-tock, tick-tock... Pack your bags and run."
His words come after media and social media users circulated data from maritime tracking platforms like Marine Traffic, which indicated that the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush was sailing north of Varadero.
Although there is no official confirmation from either the United States government or the Cuban government, the information has sparked concern among Cubans both on the island and abroad.
The USS George H. W. Bush is one of the most powerful ships in the United States Navy. In service since 2009, it has nuclear propulsion, the capacity for dozens of aircraft, and thousands of crew members.
Her image off the Cuban coast immediately evokes decades of political confrontation between Havana and Washington.
Even so, experts and analysts note that the presence of U.S. ships in international waters of the Caribbean does not automatically imply military action.
The United States conducts routine patrols and naval exercises in the region, and without official confirmation, any war scenario would be speculative.
Ferrer, exiled in the United States since 2025, has stated on other occasions that Washington could implement a strategy in Cuba similar to the one recently used in Venezuela.
During the virtual presentation of the First Comprehensive Report on Digital Surveillance in Cuba, prepared by Prisoners Defenders, he stated in response to a question from the EFE agency:
"In the case of Cuba, I believe that the U.S. president, Donald Trump, could force a transition in which the island's government has no other option but to act according to the dictates of the United States."
Although he reiterated his preference for a change led from within Cuba, he did not rule out an external intervention as a last resort.
"Cubans will be able to lead the change without the need for the United States to bring it about. However, if that doesn't happen, if I have to choose between the current Cuba (...) and a minimally invasive action to remove that tyranny from power, then I would choose the second option," he stated.
Ferrer’s statements reflect the political tension, expectations for change, and social exhaustion prevailing on the Island, amidst a deep economic crisis, a massive exodus, and a hardening of the opposition's rhetoric in exile.
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