The United States is not conducting military exercises to seize Cuba and is not preparing for a forceful occupation of the island. This was stated by General Francis Donovan, head of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), during Senate hearings.
Source: Bukvy
The general’s statement came in the wake of recent remarks by President Donald Trump, who said he expects Cuba to be “taken in one form or another,” adding, “I can do whatever I want with the neighboring country.”
Despite the White House rhetoric, the military assures that their efforts are currently limited to economic pressure and emergency preparedness. When directly asked by senators whether SOUTHCOM or any other unit conducts rehearsals for occupying Cuba, Donovan replied: “US Southern Command – no.” He also added that he is unaware of such plans in other military structures.
The general emphasized that the Pentagon remains fully combat-ready to protect the American embassy in Havana, defend the Guantanamo Bay base, and provide assistance in the event of a mass influx of migrants from the island.
Donovan paid particular attention to the condition of American infrastructure in the region. According to him, the Guantanamo base has been seriously damaged by hurricanes and requires immediate investment. “I won’t sugarcoat it: it’s in terrible condition. Due to hurricane damage, we only have one operational pier and one fueling pier. The base is a key point for any operations in the Caribbean,” the general noted.
Currently, Cuba is experiencing a severe energy crisis: US sanctions have halted supplies of Venezuelan oil, leading to a total collapse of the power grid and leaving 10 million people without electricity.