United States: the Cuban people are fed up with their government



Women protest in HavanaPhoto © X/Cubalex

The spokesperson for the White House, Karoline Leavitt, stated this Wednesday that the Cuban people are fed up with their government, as they should be, in response to a reporter's question about the recent statements made by President Donald Trump regarding Cuba.

Leavitt clarified that when Trump said Cuba is next during an event in Miami, he was referring to the fact that the Cuban regime is destined to fall, and described the country as "very economically and financially weak."

"These conversations and discussions continue to be developed at the highest level of our government," the spokesperson added, although she specified that she had no updates or specific announcements regarding policy towards Cuba.

This is not the first time Leavitt has made such statements. In March, he had already stated that the regime "is destined to fall" and that the country is obviously in a very weak economic situation and people are asking for help.

Earlier, in February, she was even more direct: "They are a regime that is falling apart. Your country is collapsing, and that’s why we believe it is in your best interest to make very drastic changes very soon."

The Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared in March that Cuba is in its final moments and anticipated "news quite soon" about the island.

The statements come at a time of maximum pressure from Washington on Havana.

Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed more than 240 new sanctions against the regime and signed Executive Order 14380, which declares Cuba an extraordinary threat and imposes tariffs on countries that supply it with oil.

The crisis worsened after the capture of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela on January 3, which cut the supply of between 26,000 and 35,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil per day to Cuba, its main energy source, resulting in power outages of up to 25 hours a day.

The Cuban economy has experienced a decline of 23% since 2019, with a projected GDP contraction of 7.2% by 2026, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit.

In parallel with the pressure, discreet diplomatic contacts have taken place. The Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal confirmed to the AFP agency on Wednesday that there are conversations between both governments, but they are at a very preliminary, very initial stage, without a formal structured negotiation.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.