Related videos:
Miguel Díaz-Canel categorically rejected on Friday the existence of Chinese or Russian military bases in Cuba during a nearly one-hour interview with Sky News, recorded in Havana on Wednesday and conducted by journalist Yalda Hakim, amid the greatest tension between the island and Washington in decades.
When Hakim directly asked him about the satellite images which, according to the U.S. government, show Chinese and Russian surveillance facilities on Cuban territory, the ruler responded without hesitation: "These are constructions based on manipulation and lies. Can they show where the bases are? There are no Chinese bases in Cuba. We have said this several times."
Díaz-Canel attributed the narrative to the media and social media algorithms, which he accused of being "subordinated to the interests of U.S. politics."
He argued that this subordination prevents "the voices of the global south and developing countries, and particularly the voice of a small country like Cuba, from being heard."
The ruler's denial contrasts with a growing body of evidence documented by independent organizations. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) identified four active signals intelligence sites linked to China in Cuba: Bejucal, El Salao, Wajay, and Calabazar.
In June 2026, satellite images from the same agency confirmed the completion of a new interception antenna with 32 elements in Bejucal, described as the largest ever observed on the island and "very likely already operational."
The activity detected at the Bejucal base adds to what Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated before the Senate on June 2: "Cuba continues to host a fairly substantial collection of intelligence sites on behalf of China and Russia."
The Wall Street Journal also reported that both powers have nearly tripled their intelligence personnel on the island since 2023.
The interview with Sky News covered other topics related to the bilateral crisis.
Díaz-Canel reiterated that Cuba "does not want war, but is not afraid," and assured he is "willing to fight to the last drop of blood" to defend the sovereignty of the country, in direct response to the threats from President Donald Trump, who declared on Tuesday in North Dakota that Cuba "after many, many decades, is drawing closer to our orbit."
The Cuban leader also mentioned that 32 Cubans died defending Nicolás Maduro during the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, presenting them as an example of the island's determination in the face of potential aggression.
He also rejected the accusations of political prisoners and denied that Cuba is a failed state, blaming the U.S. embargo—which he described as "genocidal"—for the energy crisis and the shortage of medications.
Regarding the possibility of a dialogue with Washington, Díaz-Canel acknowledged that there are possibilities, but noted that distrust is high following the attacks on Venezuela and Iran while both countries were engaged in negotiations with the United States. He conditional any conversation on respect for Cuban sovereignty and the absence of preconditions.
The immediate context of the interview includes the deployment of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier in the Caribbean on May 20, more than 240 sanctions imposed by the Trump administration since January 2026, and Cuba's call for an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly on July 7, where the regime plans to denounce the tightening of coercive measures.
Filed under: