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The photograph of high-ranking officials from the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) together with General Francis L. Donovan, head of the U.S. Southern Command, who met this Friday in the vicinity of the Guantanamo Naval Base, sparked a wave of reactions on social media.
At the meeting with Donovan, Lieutenant General Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, First Deputy Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, attended along with other high-ranking Cuban officials.
The Southern Command described the meeting as "a brief exchange on operational security matters," while the FAR deemed it "positive" and noted that both parties agreed to "maintain communication between both military commands".
Donovan also conducted a comprehensive assessment of the perimeter security of the naval base, personally inspected all its aspects, and discussed with facility officials issues regarding force protection, operational readiness, and the safety of military personnel and their families.
The official image, published by Southcom on its social media, generated hundreds of comments on Instagram, where Cubans and Latin Americans in exile interpreted the meeting as a sign of the imminent end of the regime.
"Cuba has already been taken, what they haven't realized," wrote an internet user, in what became one of the most repeated phrases of the day.
Other comments ranged from euphoria to irony. "Cuba has already been taken; it just remains to decide whether the leadership in Havana leaves peacefully or not," wrote one.
"Fidel is rolling in his grave," pointed out another.
Several users addressed the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel. "What happened Canel, weren't you expecting the Yankees? Well, here they are already in Cuba and I see them quite relaxed."
The image of the Cuban generals posing alongside the American officer also sparked astonishment. "The Cuban military all looking unkempt and the American soldier well-presented. That says a lot," commented a user.
Another added: "How is it that the generals of the Cuban regime pose calmly for a photo with imperialism? So brave when it comes to torturing the population, but so cowardly in the face of the US military—what a shame."
Some anticipated immediate outcomes. "Supposedly, by the weekend we'll wake up to a free Cuba" and "They are already in Cuba, only the final touch is missing."
The meeting takes place at the peak of a sustained escalation between Washington and Havana. Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 new sanctions against Cuba.
On May 14, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Ratcliffe visited Havana and met with the top leaders of the Ministry of the Interior, in one of the highest-level contacts between Washington and the regime in decades.
This Friday, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit has taken on its mission in the Caribbean with more than 1,300 personnel under Operation Southern Spear.
On June 5, the deadline set by Washington will expire for foreign companies to cease operations with the Cuban military conglomerate GAESA, or face secondary sanctions, adding another layer of pressure to the situation the regime is currently experiencing.
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