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President Donald Trump published a presidential message from the White House on Wednesday in honor of the 124th anniversary of Cuba's Independence Day, in which he described the regime in Havana as "a direct betrayal of the nation that its founding patriots bled and died to establish" and reaffirmed that the United States will not rest until the Cuban people regain their freedom.
The message, published on the 124th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cuba on May 20, 1902, comes amid a sustained increase in pressure from the Trump administration against the Cuban regime, which has intensified since January of this year.
Trump accused the communist Cuban government of having "violently dismantled political freedom, denied fair elections, silenced dissent, and strangled the economy" for nearly seven decades, and described the regime's elite as a "kleptocracy" that hoards the island's resources for their "lavish lifestyle" while the people suffer.
The leader framed the Cuban situation as a matter of hemispheric security: "This is our hemisphere, and those who destabilize it and threaten the United States will face consequences," he warned, referring directly to Havana and its allies.
Trump also invoked the recent capture and extradition of the Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro —described as "one of the boldest and most impressive special operations in generations"— as a clear signal sent to the socialist allies of the Cuban regime.
"The United States will not tolerate a pariah state that harbors hostile military, intelligence, and terrorist operations just 90 miles from American soil," the president emphasized.
In parallel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a video in Spanish addressed to the Cuban people in which he offered a "new relationship" between the United States and Cuba, but conditioned upon it being "directly with you, the Cuban people, not with GAESA."
Rubio also announced a 100 million dollar offer in food and medicine for Cuba, to be distributed through the Catholic Church or another trusted charitable organization, explicitly excluding the state apparatus. He blamed the Cuban leadership — and not the embargo — for the blackouts and shortages experienced by the population.
Miguel Díaz-Canel reacted on the same day describing May 20 as a symbol of "intervention and interference" and calling those who support the American message "mercenaries of dishonor."
The messages from this Wednesday are part of an unprecedented sanctions offensive. On May 1, Trump signed Executive Order 14404, which enabled secondary sanctions against foreign third parties with ties to blocked Cuban entities.
On May 7, Rubio directly targeted GAESA and its CEO Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, as well as the company Moa Nickel S.A.
On Tuesday, the Treasury Department sanctioned nine high-ranking Cuban officials and three entities, including the Cuban Intelligence Directorate (DGI/G2). As a collateral effect, shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM officially suspended operations with Cuba due to the risk of secondary sanctions.
Trump closed his message with a promise that summarizes his administration's stance: "We will not rest until the people of Cuba have the freedom that their ancestors fought so valiantly to establish over 100 years ago."
Foreign companies with ties to sanctioned Cuban entities have until June 5 to sever those relationships.
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