Francis Suárez, former mayor of Miami, warned on Thursday that the Cuban regime has compelling reasons to take the pressure from the Trump administration seriously, comparing the situation in the island to what happened in Venezuela and Iran.
Suárez made these statements during his debut as a contributor to Fox News on the show "Special Report with Bret Baier," where he analyzed Washington's strategy toward Havana.
"I doubt that Cuba wants to see a repeat of what happened in Venezuela and Iran," said Suárez, who also posted the phrase on his X account to summarize his remarks.
The former mayor explained that Trump's strategy follows a consistent pattern: "He looked at the president's strategy in Venezuela and even in Iran; it was the same strategy. He applied pressure, essentially challenged the leadership, but he also gave them a chance to negotiate. They didn't take it, and then he acted."
Suárez stated that the Cuban regime should not doubt Trump's determination: "I don't think they will question his resolve."
As a second reason for his optimism about a possible change in Cuba, Suárez highlighted the role of Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "They have someone in the Secretary of State who intimately understands the threat of Cuba to the United States."
The former mayor also warned that the Cuban threat is not of a military nature, but rather ideological: "The threat is more insidious. It is the threat of socialism and communism that we see infiltrating American cities," a topic he promised to elaborate on in the coming months from his new platform on the channel.
The geopolitical context supporting these words is compelling. In January 2026, the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas eliminated the main supply of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, which accounted for between 80% and 90% of the island's oil imports. Mexico suspended its shipments on January 9 following tariff warnings from Washington. On January 29, Trump signed Executive Order 14380, declaring a national emergency due to the Cuban threat and imposing tariffs on any country that supplies oil to the island.
In parallel, the joint military operation between the United States and Israel against Iran, launched on February 28, resulted in the death of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei on March 1, a precedent that Suárez considers crucial for the Cuban regime's interpretation of the situation.
Trump himself declared in March that he could do whatever he wants regarding Cuba, while Cuba admitted that same month to holding discussions with U.S. officials, which analysts interpret as a sign that the pressure is having an effect.
The pressure on Cuba is increasing, and Trump and Rubio are sending a clear message", wrote Suárez as he shared his remarks on social media.
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