Related videos:
The national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) Gerardo Hernández warned on Wednesday that the United States could occupy Cuba militarily, but would then face a guerrilla war led by the entire population.
The statements were captured in a video posted on Instagram by journalist Sasi Alejandre, in the context of the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Playa Girón, and against a backdrop of rising tension between Washington and Havana.
"Our military capability cannot compete with that of the greatest empire in the world. We are aware that if they intend to occupy the country, they may be able to do so, despite our resistance," Hernández acknowledged, referring to the evident military superiority of the United States.
However, he invoked the Cuban doctrine of the "war of all the people" as a deterrent. "The problem is that it will happen later, when an entire people decides to defend its revolution and adopt guerrilla tactics, resistance. That is the basis of our doctrine," stated the member of the group known as the "Five Heroes" of the Cuban regime.
Hernández also compared the current situation to the eve of the Playa Girón invasion in 1961, and pointed out that "there is a very strong reaction from extreme right elements in Miami, trying to provoke a conflict between the two countries," and accused these groups of wanting "Americans to do their dirty work for them."
The video is set against a backdrop of escalating rhetoric from the regime in response to statements made by President Donald Trump, who asserted from the White House on March 16 that I believe I will have the honor of taking Cuba, describing the island as a "failed nation."
Days later, on March 27, Trump stated again that Cuba is next at the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach, and on April 15 he suggested, "we might stop in Cuba," referring to the conflict with Iran.
Trump also signed Executive Order 14380 on January 29, 2026, declaring the Cuban government an "extraordinary threat" to the national security of the United States and imposing tariffs on countries that supply oil to the island, which has exacerbated the already critical energy situation in the country.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued similar warnings on April 7 during an interview with the American magazine Newsweek. "If there is a military aggression, we will fight and defend ourselves", Díaz-Canel stated, invoking the same guerrilla warfare doctrine that Hernández is now reiterating.
The statements also align with the promotion of the official campaign #MiFirmaPorLaPatria, launched by the Communist Party of Cuba on April 19.
Hernández himself promoted the initiative on Facebook with the slogan "My signature is for a Cuba without war and without a blockade!" This sparked a wave of criticism from Cubans demanding free elections and denouncing hunger, blackouts, and misery.
Residents of block 4 in Cárdenas, Matanzas, collectively refused to sign the official form despite pressures and threats from envoys of the regime.
Independent analysts describe the campaign as a smokescreen to divert attention from a 23% contraction in GDP since 2019 and an energy crisis marked by five total or partial collapses of the National Electric System in recent months.
Hernández concluded his remarks with a phrase that encapsulates the official stance of the regime regarding tensions with Washington. "Hopefully there won't be a war, because war is something that no one wishes for, but we are prepared," he stated.
Filed under: