Cuba Accuses US of Using Sanctions as Military Pretext

The Cuban government has accused the United States of orchestrating a war without bombs through an energy blockade and targeted sanctions. Lianys Torres Rivera, Cuba's top diplomat to the U.S., stated that recent Treasury Department sanctions against President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro serve as pretexts for military intervention by the Trump administration.

Raúl Castro currently faces federal grand jury charges of conspiracy and murder related to a 1996 shootdown of civilian aircraft. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio argues that the Cuban system cannot be reformed without a change in leadership, Cuban officials insist that any systemic changes must be handled internally.

President Donald Trump has indicated that his administration will address the situation in Cuba once military operations in Iran are concluded. The U.S. government justifies its current pressure on the island by citing national security threats involving Russia and China.