The acting Deputy Secretary of War for National Defense and Security Affairs for the Americas of the U.S., Joseph Humire, asserted emphatically that the crisis in Cuba is not the fault of Washington, but rather the result of the regime's own decisions.
In a video disseminated by the Heritage Foundation, Humire stated that the island "is a failure in its own design" and dismissed the idea that U.S. sanctions are the cause of the energy and economic collapse.
"The reason they are facing an energy crisis and a general economic crisis is not due to anything we have done," he stated. "It is because they decided to invest all their energy resources in a country that was also in decline."
Humire pointed directly to Venezuela, whose subsidized oil had supported the Cuban system for years. That support vanished following the fall of Nicolás Maduro's regime, leaving Havana without its main lifeline.
But the blow has not only been economic. According to the official, the relationship between both countries was also marked by a military failure. “I don’t know how many dozens or perhaps hundreds of Cuban security officials failed in their mission,” he said, referring to the protection of Maduro, where it is known that 32 Cuban soldiers died inside Fuerte Tiuna.
For years, Cuba received between 25,000 and 35,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil daily. However, that flow has been cut off, and Mexico has also suspended its shipments. Additionally, there is a long-reported practice: the resale of a large portion of the crude oil received while the population faces shortages.
A few weeks earlier, Humire had issued another warning, after designating Cuba as one of the strongest intelligence adversaries that the United States has faced, claiming that it has managed to infiltrate institutions both within and outside the country.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, the official made it clear that, for now, the response lies in the political arena. "This is much more of an effort led by the White House, by President Trump and Secretary Rubio," he stated.
The Department of War, he stated, remains in the background, though ready to act.
"Our job is to give the diplomats another day," he noted. "But we are ready to support when the president orders it."
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