Related videos:
The permanent representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, responded this Wednesday directly to the United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, following his statements made during his visit to the Guantánamo Naval Base, and accused him of being "completely mistaken."
Soberón published his response on X, addressing it directly to the official account of the secretary: "The future of Cuba —a sovereign and independent country— belongs solely and exclusively to the Cuban people and government. Anyone who believes that the future of Cuba lies in other hands is completely and absolutely mistaken."
The Cuban diplomat reacted to the words spoken by Hegseth hours earlier in Guantanamo, where he stated that "the future of Cuba is in the hands of the President of the United States and the Cuban leaders" and warned that the Department of War is "prepared and positioned for any possible eventuality".
Hegseth also warned that it would be "reckless" for Cuba to acquire weapons capable of reaching the base or U.S. territory, and he invoked the return of the Monroe Doctrine as a framework for Washington's regional policy.
The visit was Hegseth's second to Guantanamo as Secretary; the first took place in February 2025 and focused on the migrant detention facilities.
The regime's response follows a pattern established throughout 2026. In May, Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío spoke of a "fierce resistance" to any U.S. action, and Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez warned that Cuba will defend its sovereignty "to the last consequences."
Soberón himself stated before the UN in February 2026 that Cuba only accepts dialogue "on the basis of mutual respect, equal conditions, respect for sovereignty, respect for independence, and non-interference," adding that "we do not impose conditions on anyone, but we also do not accept being imposed upon."
The context of Hegseth's visit is one of growing bilateral tension. An intelligence report released in May 2026 indicated that Cuba may have acquired more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran since 2023, with potential scenarios for use against Guantánamo, Navy ships, and targets in Florida such as Key West.
The intelligence sources mentioned in that report clarified that they do not consider Cuba an imminent threat nor do they believe it is actively preparing an attack. Russia, for its part, denied the report but confirmed that it is maintaining contact with the Cuban regime.
In response to the escalation, the United States reinforced its military presence in the Caribbean with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, Operation Southern Spear, and over 1,300 Marines deployed in the region. The Trump administration had declared a national emergency regarding Cuba on January 29, 2026, and tightened sanctions against the island.
Díaz-Canel stated that Washington is managing three scenarios for Cuba: social uprising, coercive dialogue, or direct military aggression, a narrative that the regime uses to justify its confrontational rhetoric in response to every move from Washington.
Filed under: