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The lawyer Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman, a specialist in lawsuits against the Cuban government, stated this Monday that the regime in Havana "is in its death throes" and that "we are reaching a critical point where the regime is completely losing its ability to sustain itself," in an interview with the morning program News4JAX in Jacksonville, Florida.
Friedman, an attorney at the Holtzman Vogel law firm and former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Florida, made these statements in the context of an unprecedented escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana, marked by three simultaneous triggers: reports of a possible federal criminal indictment against Raúl Castro, the revelation that Cuba possesses more than 300 military drones, and an energy crisis with blackouts lasting up to 22 hours a day.
Regarding the possible charges against the 94-year-old former Cuban leader, Friedman noted that "at this moment, all options are on the table" and that the potential charges "could include drug trafficking, money laundering, and certainly, the murder of the pilots from Brothers to the Rescue."
The accusation would be related to the downing of two planes from Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996, which resulted in the deaths of four Cuban Americans: Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
The specialist compared the process to the case of Nicolás Maduro, whose indictment was sealed in 2011, revealed in 2020, and culminated in his arrest in January 2026, and noted that "the U.S. government has probably already obtained that indictment to be where we are in this pressure campaign."
When asked if Washington underestimates the regime's ability to resist, Friedman was categorical: "Absolutely not. It is simply the reality that the Castro regime is underestimating the will and determination of the United States and the Cuban-American diaspora."
Regarding the more than 300 military drones acquired from Russia and Iran that, according to U.S. intelligence, Cuba possesses and which could reach Florida, the lawyer interpreted the leak as a sign of weakness: "That is news that the Cuban regime leaked because they are desperate."
Friedman emphasized the difference between the regime and the population: "There is a huge difference between the regime that is desperate to maintain its tight control over power and the Cuban people who are desperate and suffering during this humanitarian crisis."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that "I don't believe we can change the course of Cuba while these people are in charge," a position that Friedman supported by noting that the Cuban-American diaspora "has carried the flag for decades, calling for freedom, democracy, and human dignity."
The lawyer also warned about the threats to national security posed by the regime. Cuba gathers intelligence for Russia and China, and agents of the Cuban government commit multimillion-dollar fraud in the U.S. Medicare system, siphoning that money out of the country.
For his part, Miguel Díaz-Canel warned this Monday that a military aggression by the U.S. against Cuba would result in "a bloodbath with incalculable consequences," while the island is experiencing its worst energy crisis in decades with a record electricity deficit of over 2,153 MW recorded on May 13.
Friedman concluded with a note of hope for the Cuban-American community: "The implications for Cuban-Americans are very promising," and he added that the fight for freedom, democracy, and self-determination "has no expiration date."
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