The head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, stated that the time has come to intensify efforts in light of the serious crisis facing the island, asserting that “it is time to speed things up” because the situation is becoming increasingly complicated for the Cuban people due to the communist regime.
In an exclusive interview with the Noticiero Ahora program on the Telemundo network, Hammer addressed the economic decline, political repression, and growing signs of fatigue within the ruling elite, insisting that the current Cuban system "is no longer sustainable."
"The situation is going to complicate more each day."
When referring to the possibility of negotiations with the regime, the diplomat noted that it is up to the Cuban authorities to decide whether they are willing to engage in dialogue, but he cautioned that time is not on their side.
"The regime must decide because the situation is going to get more complicated every day," he stated.
Although he avoided going into specific details about diplomatic strategies, Hammer made it clear that Washington is watching the country's direction with concern.
"In diplomacy, things have their pace, but it is also time to speed things up," he affirmed.
"We are very concerned about the Cuban people."
Hammer emphasized that the priority of the United States is to prevent further suffering of the population amid the crisis. “We are very concerned about the Cuban people. We do not want them to suffer, we do not want them to go hungry,” he said.
The diplomat added that he conveyed this concern directly to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in recent discussions about the situation in Cuba.
Repression, lack of freedoms, and economic crisis
During the interview, Hammer described a scenario characterized by repression, the absence of fundamental freedoms, and the devastating impact of the economic crisis, which has resulted in prolonged blackouts, food shortages, a transportation collapse, and unprecedented mass migration.
He also stated that there are signs of fatigue within the Cuban leadership, which could open up scenarios for a possible political change.
Hammer insisted that the current system is at a critical juncture and that the international community cannot ignore the deterioration of living conditions on the island.
A decisive moment
The statements from the head of the U.S. mission come amid increasing pressure on the Cuban regime, during a deep energy crisis and warnings of new austerity plans reminiscent of the Special Period.
For Hammer, the time for ambiguous signals has passed: the moment calls for accelerating concrete actions, as the situation for the Cuban people becomes more untenable every day.
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