Related videos:
The U.S. Southern Command officially described the Guantanamo Naval Base on Friday as "a vital operational and logistical center" that supports U.S. military efforts to counter threats undermining security, stability, and democracy in the hemisphere.
The statement was made in regards to the visit to that location by General Francis L. Donovan, head of Southern Command, who showed the profile on Instagram of Southern Command.
Donovan conducted a comprehensive assessment of the perimeter security posture of the facility and met with senior officials from the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR).
The meeting included an exchange with Army Corps General Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, First Deputy Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the FAR, within the perimeter of the base, which is considered an unprecedented event in recent times given that formal meetings between senior officials from both countries are extremely rare.
During the inspection, Donovan discussed with base officials issues related to force protection, operational readiness, and measures to ensure the safety of military personnel and their families, according to an official statement from Southern Command.
The visit comes at a time of heightened tension between Washington and Havana. On the same day, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit took on its mission in the Caribbean with over 1,300 personnel as part of Operation Southern Spear, following the turnover of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
General Donovan was explicit about the scope of the mission. "The Western Hemisphere is no longer a permissive environment for narcoterrorists, criminal syndicates, or their state sponsors. With LCF-24 in charge of tactical operations, we send an unequivocal message: the United States is committed to defending our homeland and ensuring a prosperous and stable hemisphere."
The background of the visit includes a specific threat against the base itself. According to a report from Axios dated May 17, Cuba has allegedly acquired over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023, and Cuban officials have discussed plans to use them against the installation, U.S. military vessels, and possibly Key West.
The analyst Andy S. Gómez warned that Cuban drones pose a real risk to Guantánamo: "The base in Guantánamo is very close to where they could be hit, that is a possibility, but I am completely confident that our military capability will be able to intercept these drones from Key West northward."
Meanwhile, the Cuban regime escalated its rhetoric in international forums. Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson warned this Friday at the UN Disarmament Conference in Geneva that "if a military aggression occurs, you can be sure that the Cuban people will fight, to the last consequences, to defend their sovereignty and independence."
The diplomatic perspective offers few signs of détente. Cuban Deputy Minister Josefina Vidal acknowledged last Thursday that "there has not been much progress in the dialogues between Havana and Washington," a statement that aligns with that of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also admitted on May 21 that he does not see "much advancement" in the contacts with Cuba.
On June 5, the deadline set by Washington for foreign companies to cease operations with GAESA, the Cuban military business conglomerate, will expire, under the threat of secondary sanctions, which adds additional pressure on the regime in the coming days.
Filed under: