The permanent representative of Cuba to the UN, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, acknowledged this Monday that the military capabilities of the island and those of the United States are incomparable, but clarified that this asymmetry does not imply surrender: Havana favors dialogue and mutual respect over armed confrontation.
In statements to the Russian agency TASS, Soberón asserted that the Cuban regime takes the possibility of a U.S. military operation "seriously," in part because high-ranking officials in Washington have made public statements regarding the possibility of "destroying" Cuba.
«During the current U.S. Administration, there have been not one or two, but numerous public statements from its highest officials regarding their willingness to seize Cuba, bomb it, and destroy it. This is another important reason to take such threats very seriously,» he stated.
We take this very seriously. (...) We must be prepared for any scenario, including a military one, the diplomat added.
In response to that climate of tension, Soberón explained that Cuba dedicates Fridays to defense activities to prepare the population for a possible attack.
The strategic exercise Moncada 2026, conducted on November 4 and 5 with the participation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior, militias, reservists, and civilian structures, illustrates the doctrine known as the "War of the Entire People," which aims to offset the vast conventional superiority of the United States through popular mobilization and decentralized territorial defense.
Open estimates place Cuba at around 50,000 active military personnel compared to approximately 1.3 million U.S. forces, with a similarly wide gap in tanks, aviation, and projection capability.
Soberón emphasized that Havana is not seeking an armed confrontation and is committed to normalizing relations with the United States through dialogue and mutual respect.
He established the conditions that the regime demands for an understanding with the U.S., warning that any dialogue must take place under conditions of equality, respect for independence and sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs.
The Cuban representative also took the opportunity to point out that the only foreign military installation on the island is the Guantanamo Naval Base, which he described as "established against the will of the Cuban people."
In May, Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla denounced a potential military aggression before the UN. In July, the National Assembly warned that any intervention would meet resistance "to the last consequences."
The Cuban ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera stated in October that Cuba has been preparing for years for a possible aggression, but that it does not seek to be an enemy of the United States.
Soberón had already warned in March 2026 that "any attempt to invade or attack Cuba would find 10 million Cubans willing to defend national sovereignty."
Related videos:
Filed under: