Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal told a legislative hearing on Thursday that the risk of military aggression from the United States is rising as diplomatic engagement between the two governments has produced little progress.
Speaking at the National Capitol during a session convened to denounce U.S. sanctions on Cuban oil imports, Vidal accused Washington of inventing reasons to present Cuba as a threat to U.S. national security in order to justify hostile actions. "Every day the danger of military aggression against Cuba grows," she said.
Vidal linked the increased danger to a broader U.S. pressure campaign that she said has constrained Cuba's access to fuel. "Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has effectively imposed a blockade on Cuba by threatening sanctions on countries supplying it with fuel, triggering power outages and exacerbating its worst crisis in decades," the deputy minister said at the hearing.
Officials in Havana also criticised the United States for what they described as a lack of good faith in the nascent diplomatic channel. "A channel of exchange between the two governments remains open, but there has not been much progress. We have reason to doubt the seriousness and responsibility of the United States government," Vidal added, reflecting Cuban skepticism about U.S. intentions.
Despite those doubts in Havana, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was quoted on Wednesday as expressing confidence that the dialogue between the two nations, which began around March, would have "a good result."
The tensions have been further inflamed by recent legal and rhetorical moves. In what Cuba described as an escalation of pressure, the U.S. has formally charged former President Raul Castro with four counts of murder over the 1996 downing of civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles.
Havana’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has issued stark warnings about the potential human cost of military action. Rodriguez has said any such action would produce a "bloodbath" in which thousands of Cubans and Americans would die, underscoring the gravity with which Cuban authorities view the prospect of an armed confrontation.
Contextual note: The statements cited above reflect the positions expressed by Cuban officials during the legislative hearing and subsequent public comments. The dialogue between the two governments is ongoing but has been described by Cuban officials as making little headway.