U.S. ambassador to Cuba claims that "the dictatorship will end" in 2026

The head of the U.S. mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, stated that he expects a political change on the island in 2026 and assured that "the dictatorship will come to an end."

The statement was reported by the newspaper Miami Herald, which reported that Hammer made these claims during the annual gala of the Cuban American Bar Association held in Miami, where he received the first Humanitarian Award from that organization.

“We believe that change is coming. It's coming in 2026,” said the diplomat in English during his speech.

Then he added in Spanish: “The dictatorship is going to end.”

Hammer, a career ambassador who is currently the chief diplomatic representative of the United States in Havana, noted that when he arrived in Cuba at the end of the Biden administration, he perceived a lack of hope among the population.

However, he stated that after touring various provinces of the country, he has found a growing expectation for change among Cubans.

“Today there is not only hope, but also an expectation that there will be change, so let’s make it happen,” he stated.

The statements come amid a growing pressure from Washington on Havana.

According to the Miami Herald, the administration of President Donald Trump has intensified measures against the Cuban regime, including a blockade on the supply of oil from Venezuela and Mexico.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the United States does not anticipate immediate changes, but does expect "dramatic" economic reforms in the island's centralized socialist model.

Meanwhile, the Cuban government has responded by seeking to strengthen international support.

The Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez recently began a diplomatic tour of allied countries such as China, Vietnam, Russia, and Spain to seek support and humanitarian aid.

Analysts cited by the Miami Herald believe that the regime is facing increasing external pressure and a profound internal economic crisis, factors that have heightened expectations for change among parts of the population, especially among the youth.