HAVANA (Dispatches) - Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations says Havana is taking the threat of a possible U.S. military aggression against the island seriously and preparing its population to defend the country.
In an interview with Russia’s TASS news agency, Ernesto Soberon said Cuba holds defense preparations every Friday to safeguard its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
“We must be prepared for any scenario, including a military one,” Soberon Guzman said.
He pointed to Washington’s threats of military action against Cuba and its actions on the international stage in recent years as further reasons for Havana to remain vigilant.
The Cuban diplomat made clear, however, that Havana does not seek military confrontation and remains hopeful of normalizing relations with Washington.
He said Cuba is ready to engage in dialogue with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and recognition of its sovereignty.
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a U.S. military aggression against Cuba on the “way back from Iran.”
Also in March, Trump told reporters at the White House that he believed he would have “the honor of taking Cuba.”
The Trump administration has presented the pressure campaign as an effort to force political and economic changes on the island, while Cuban officials have rejected Washington’s attempts to dictate the country’s political future.
The pressure has already taken a heavy toll on Cuba’s energy system, with the island suffering repeated nationwide power-grid collapses amid worsening fuel shortages and mounting economic strain.