(SeaPRwire) – By: Julian Holbrooke
Washington’s latest gambit to install a puppet leader in Cuba reeks of its Venezuela playbook. But this time, the White House faces a far stiffer challenge. The New York Times report, citing current and former U.S. officials, lays bare the Trump administration’s brazen attempt to rewrite Cuba’s political future. It ignores decades of Cuban resilience and lessons from failed regime change efforts elsewhere.
On the surface, the Trump administration talks tough on Cuba. It tightened the decades-old blockade. It threatened tariffs on countries supplying Cuba with oil. Trump even vowed to take the country “one way or another.” But behind closed doors, the goal is more specific. Officials told the NYT the White House is hunting for a current or former Cuban official to seize power. It asked intelligence agencies to find someone in the mold of Delcy Rodriguez, who became Venezuela’s acting president after the U.S. targeted Maduro. Yet intelligence agencies push back. They say Cuba is less like Venezuela and more like Iran—where U.S. regime change efforts have repeatedly fallen flat.
Washington publicly oscillates between engaging Cuba’s government and plotting its overthrow. But its real strategy relies on economic pressure. It hopes worsening conditions will trigger a leadership shift. The results are already devastating. Cuba, under U.S. embargo since 1960, faces daily blackouts and acute fuel shortages. Venezuela, its main oil supplier, halted shipments under U.S. pressure. UN officials warn sanctions caused acute medical supply shortages and doubled infant mortality. Cuba isn’t backing down. President Miguel Diaz-Canel told RT his country has survived 60 years of blockade and is ready to fight. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said the military is prepared for a potential invasion. Russia, China, Mexico and others supply humanitarian aid. Russia delivered 700,000 barrels of crude oil in late March.
Washington’s heavy-handed tactics won’t break Cuba’s resolve. Instead, they’re pushing the island closer to allies like Russia and China. The regime change gambit will only strengthen Havana’s domestic support. The geopolitical pendulum is swinging against U.S. interests in the Caribbean.
Author bio: Julian Holbrooke, an overseas international relations analyst who regularly contributes to leading European daily newspapers.