Cuba cautions US that military intervention following drone report could lead to a ‘bloodbath

HAVANA,⁤ Cuba — On Monday, Cuban President Miguel‍ Diaz-Canel warned that any U.S. military aggression towards Cuba could trigger a “bloodbath,” jeopardizing​ regional‍ peace and stability.

“Cuba is not a threat,” Diaz-Canel asserted in a post on X.

His remarks come in the wake of an Axios report on Sunday, which cited classified intelligence, claiming that ​Cuba‍ had procured over 300 military drones and had deliberated plans⁣ to use them against the U.S. ‍naval‌ base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels, and Key West, Florida. Cuba dismissed these allegations as U.S. fabrications to justify potential military intervention.

In Havana, some locals expressed their readiness⁣ to resist ​any attack, despite the island’s severe economic challenges.

“Cuba is a resilient ‌nation. Cubans are courageous and will not be caught off guard,” stated ⁤Sandra Roseaux, 57. “If​ they invade, they will face resistance, because Cuba will retaliate. My country, no matter how impoverished, will respond. It’s⁢ better they don’t invade, as it‌ will lead to conflict.”

Cuba, a long-standing ⁣communist adversary of​ Washington, has been under increasing pressure since the U.S. halted its energy supplies following the arrest of the president of its then-ally Venezuela in January. Recently,⁣ fuel shortages have become rampant, and electricity is ‍only available for a couple of hours daily.

The tension between the two nations has escalated ‍significantly in recent ⁢days. Last week, ‌Reuters reported, citing ‍a U.S. Department of Justice source, ‌that prosecutors are planning to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro for Cuba’s 1996 ⁤downing of two planes operated by⁤ a humanitarian group.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez stated in a social media post that ‍Cuba, “like every nation in the world,” has the right to legitimate self-defense against external aggression under the U.N. Charter and international law.

Ulises Medina, 58, a Havana resident, called for dialogue. “Neither the United States invading Cuba nor Cuba invading the United States would be right,” he said. “They need to reach a⁤ consensus, engage in dialogue and negotiate. Regardless, Cuba will defend itself because the country⁢ will not surrender.”

An indictment⁣ of Castro, 94 — the ‍brother of the late former leader Fidel Castro and a hero of the 1959 Cuban Revolution — would ‌signify a significant escalation in ⁤pressure on Cuba by the Trump administration.

“The Cuban people will not allow anyone to infringe on their land,” said Jorge ⁣Villalobos, 87. “Cubans know how to defend themselves, even ‍with rudimentary weapons like sticks and stones.”