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Amid the rising tensions between the White House and the Cuban government, Puerto Rico's governor, Jenniffer González Colón, has expressed her support for any action by President Donald Trump to “liberate” Cuba, even if it involves military intervention from Puerto Rican territory.
“I don’t have any information about that (intervention plan in Cuba from Puerto Rico), but whatever is needed to support our military forces and the public policy of the president (Donald Trump), I will definitely be in favor,” she stated in comments cited by Telemundo Puerto Rico.
"We demonstrated this in the case of (Nicolás) Maduro in Venezuela. I have no information that such a celebration is taking place in Puerto Rico, but I support the public policy actions that the president is taking to free the Cuban people,” González added during a military event held last week at Camp Santiago, in the municipality of Salinas.
The official responded to journalists' questions after inspecting the modernization works at that military facility, one of the main training centers for the Puerto Rico National Guard, which is currently expanding thanks to a federal investment of 300 million dollars.
References to Venezuela and nods to Trump
The governor's words, aligned with Trump's foreign policy, did not go unnoticed.
His mention of the case of Nicolás Maduro, captured by U.S. forces on January 3 in an operation that included logistical support from Puerto Rico, reinforces the hypothesis that the Caribbean territory plays a key role in the military strategy of the current Republican government.
Since that operation—which also led to the arrest of Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife, and her transfer to New York for criminal prosecution—President Trump has mentioned Cuba as another of his potential targets. He claims that "the actions of the Cuban government are designed to harm the United States and support hostile countries."
Although the president's exact intentions regarding Cuba remain unclear, this week he stated that he is beginning a dialogue process with "Cuban leaders" and threatened to cut off oil supplies to the island as a pressure tactic.
Military modernization: context and figures
During the conference at Camp Santiago, Jenniffer González presented the progress of the largest military infrastructure project in the recent history of Puerto Rico.
The project, funded with federal resources, includes the construction of 29 new buildings, with $268 million allocated for construction and $32 million for design.
The governor emphasized that the project will create 400 direct jobs, 200 indirect jobs, as well as state and municipal revenues exceeding 8 million dollars.
On that same day, the Puerto Rican government signed new lease agreements with the United States Army for the use of key facilities, including the airports of Ceiba, Aguadilla, and Mercedita (Ponce).
According to the director of the Port Authority, Norberto Negrón, these agreements have brought economic benefits at the local level
The chairman of the Planning Board, Héctor Morales, estimated that military investment in the island exceeds 832 million dollars, with a total impact on the local economy of over 2 billion, including the creation of 12,346 jobs and 254 million in wages.
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