Related videos:
The administration of Donald Trump may be applying a strategy toward Cuba that is reminiscent of the one previously used against the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, according to experts consulted by the British newspaper The Telegraph.
The hypothesis arises amid the tightening of U.S. sanctions against entities linked to the Cuban power apparatus and recent military movements by the United States in the Caribbean.
The report mentions the presence of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz strike group in the region and the increase in surveillance flights near Cuba, circumstances that have fueled speculation about heightened pressure from Washington on Havana.
Among the cited voices is John Bolton, former National Security Advisor of the United States, who stated that the current policy toward Cuba appears to be inspired by the approach previously used against Venezuela. According to Bolton, the combination of economic measures, political pressure, and military signals aims to raise the costs for governments deemed adversarial by Washington.
Other specialists consulted by The Telegraph, including military analyst Mark Cancian, consider a conventional military intervention unlikely due to the enormous political and operational costs that such action would entail. However, they point out that the deployment of military assets can serve a role in applying psychological and strategic pressure on the Cuban governing elite.
The article also links these interpretations to the deepening internal crisis in Cuba. Prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, the deterioration of basic services, and increasing social discontent have weakened the regime's ability to respond to the needs of the population.
However, experts themselves acknowledge that there is no public evidence that the White House has crafted a plan referred to as "the Venezuela model" for Cuba. The conclusions gathered by The Telegraph are based on analysts' interpretations of the political and military signals observed in recent months.
So far, Washington has not announced any formal strategy by that name, although diplomatic and economic pressure on the Cuban regime continues to increase.
Filed under: