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Cuban-American Congressman Carlos Giménez reiterated that Cuba poses a security threat to the United States and that the Trump administration demands that the island become a democratic, free nation and an ally of Washington.
"Cuba represents a security threat to the United States. President Trump has said 'enough is enough'. We need Cuba to be democratic, free, and we need it to be a friend of the United States, not an enemy," stated Giménez in remarks shared by journalist Aaron Rupar on the social network X.
The congressman, the only legislator born in Cuba in the current Congress of the United States, presented two reasons for Trump’s policy of pressure towards the island: that the Cuban people deserve democracy after 65 years of a socialist-communist regime, and that Cuba poses a direct threat to U.S. national security.
“I feel good about Cuba because the president always returns to the topic and says that he has many Cuban-American friends and that he wants to see Cuba free and democratic,” stated Giménez.
The congressman also described it as "extraordinary" that Trump has taken on the Cuban issue with such determination. Furthermore, he noted that the day of freedom is near for the Cuban people.
These statements come at a time of heightened diplomatic tension between Washington and Havana, with a potential U.S. ultimatum expiring this Friday, April 24, for the regime to release high-profile political prisoners, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo, both members of the San Isidro Movement.
The diplomatic turning point occurred on April 10, when a delegation from the State Department arrived in Cuba to negotiate directly with representatives of the regime.
On Wednesday, Díaz-Canel threatened to break off negotiations if Washington insists on regime change, stating that "our internal problems are not on the table for a conversation with the United States."
In the same interview with Fox News, Giménez warned that the regime's leaders could end up like Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in January in an operation authorized by Trump. "Look what happened to Nicolás Maduro. President Trump gave him options, but he didn't take them. Now he's sitting in a jail in New York," the congressman noted.
Giménez also sent a direct message to the Cuban nomenclature: "There is plenty, too much time for the regime. It is better that, if there are negotiations, they conduct them in a serious manner. They know that their days are already numbered. It's better to do it the easy way than the hard way."
Trump's maximum pressure policy towards Cuba, actively supported by Giménez, includes Executive Order 14380, signed on January 29, 2026, which declared a national emergency due to the Cuban threat and imposed more than 240 new sanctions, in addition to blocking oil imports that have reduced supply by 80% to 90%, worsening blackouts that already affect up to 55% of the island's territory with outages lasting between 18 and 25 hours daily.
On April 18, on the 65th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, Giménez expressed his conviction about Cuba's immediate future with a phrase that summarizes his stance: "Next year, New Year's will be in Havana. We'll see, God willing."
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