The Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak, appeared before the U.S. Congress on Wednesday and issued a direct warning to the Cuban regime, stating that Washington will no longer tolerate the threat it poses to U.S. national security.
In his testimony before Congress, the official linked the regime's increasing vulnerability to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro: "With Maduro's arrest, the Cuban communist regime lost its last benefactor. The end of massive subsidies exposed the economic incompetence of the regime."
Citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the undersecretary described Cuba as a failed state located 90 miles from the U.S. coast and as a "friendly territory for some of our adversaries." He was emphatic in stating that "President Trump has made it clear that we will not tolerate that threat any longer."
The official specified that President Trump’s executive order is intended to strike at the regime, its security apparatus, and its control over the economy, and clarified that the measure is "not directed against the people of Cuba."
Among the recent milestones of U.S. pressure, the undersecretary highlighted the formal indictment against Raúl Castro, declassified on May 20, 2026, for his role in the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996, a crime that resulted in the deaths of three American citizens and one legal permanent resident.
An audio recording from June of that year captures Castro, then Minister of Defense, ordering: "Throw them into the sea when they appear; and do not consult those who have the authority."
The arrest of Maduro, carried out on January 3, 2026, by U.S. special forces in Caracas, cut off the supply of between 25,000 and 35,000 daily barrels of subsidized Venezuelan oil that supported the island.
This support accumulated an estimated value of 63.8 billion dollars between 1999 and January 2026. Without this backing, Cuba is facing a projected economic contraction of 7.2% for this year and chronic blackouts that have worsened since the capture of the Venezuelan dictator.
The testimony also recalled that July 11 marked the fifth anniversary of the massive protests of 11J in Cuba, with several hundred peaceful protesters still imprisoned. "We continue to demand that the regime release all political prisoners," stated the undersecretary.
Raúl Castro, 95 years old, has an active arrest warrant and is considered a fugitive from U.S. justice. Alongside him, five Cuban military personnel were charged; one of them, retired Lieutenant Colonel Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez, was transferred to Miami on June 9, 2026.
The undersecretary concluded his remarks with the words of Secretary Rubio: "The status quo is no longer sustainable. Cuba must implement immediate economic and political reforms that will allow it to reintegrate as a productive and responsible member of the Western Hemisphere."
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