Cuban armed forces are preparing for potential military aggression from the United States, according to a senior Cuban official, as tensions between the two nations continue to rise. The announcement comes amid heightened rhetoric from Washington and follows a recent period of instability on the island, including widespread power outages.
“Our armed forces are always prepared and, in fact, these days they are preparing for the possibility of military aggression,” said Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister, in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, March 22, 2026. “Our country has always been willing to mobilize as a nation as a whole in the face of military aggression. The truth is that we always see it as something very far away. We do not believe it is probable, but we would be naive if we did not prepare.”
Fernández de Cossío emphasized that Cuba sees “no justification” for military action, asserting that the country is “peaceful” and poses “no threat” to the United States. He reiterated that Cuba “has no conflict” with the U.S., stating, “We have the need and the right to protect ourselves, but we are willing to sit down to dialogue.”
Power Outages Continue
The interview aired as Cuban authorities worked to restore electricity across the island following the second nationwide blackout in less than a week. Cuba’s aging electrical infrastructure and a U.S. Oil blockade are contributing factors to the ongoing energy crisis. Fernández de Cossío said, prior to the blackout, that they were working “in the most proactive way possible to address the situation.”
“We hope that fuel reaches Cuba one way or another and that this boycott imposed by the United States does not last or can be maintained forever,” he stated. Power has been restored in some parts of Havana, but other areas remained without electricity on Sunday morning. The Ministry of Energy reported a “total disconnection” of the national electrical system on Saturday, impacting the country’s nearly 10 million inhabitants.
Tensions between the U.S. And Cuba escalated after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January. Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, a U.S. Senator and son of Cuban immigrants, warned at the time that Cuba could be the next country to face U.S. Military intervention. “If I lived in Havana and was part of the government, I would be worried,” Rubio said then. The development underscores growing regional tensions and the potential for further escalation in U.S.-Cuba relations.
DZC (EFE, AFP)
