United States President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have intensified pressure on Cuba, raising the prospect of military action while accusing Havana of posing a national security threat because of its ties to Russia and China.
The remarks came amid a broader escalation in tensions between the two countries, including new sanctions, military deployments in the Caribbean and criminal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro.
Cuban officials rejected the accusations, warning that Washington’s rhetoric risked provoking a dangerous confrontation.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rubio said Cuba had long represented a threat to the United States and argued that the prospects for a diplomatic agreement were “not high”.
He said the Trump administration preferred a negotiated outcome but insisted that Washington was prepared to act if necessary.
Rubio also accused Cuba of being a sponsor of terrorism in the region and said the country’s political and economic system was broken.
Trump, speaking separately at the White House, said previous US presidents had considered taking action against Cuba for decades and suggested his administration could be the one to do so.
The administration has increased sanctions on the island since Trump returned to office, while a fuel blockade has worsened Cuba’s economic crisis.
The United States also announced maritime exercises in the Caribbean involving several navy ships, including an aircraft carrier.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused Rubio of spreading falsehoods to justify aggression against the island.
He said Cuba had never posed a threat to the United States and condemned what he described as systematic attacks by Washington on the Cuban government.
The latest developments followed the US indictment of Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two planes that killed US nationals.
Rubio declined to explain whether Washington would attempt to bring Castro to the United States to face trial.
The administration also announced the arrest of Adys Lastres Morera, the sister of a senior executive linked to Cuba’s military-run GAESA conglomerate.
China urged the United States to de-escalate tensions and stop threatening force, while the Kremlin criticised methods “which border on violence” against current or former heads of state.