Officials describe active planning, legal actions, and economic measures aimed at reshaping governance in Cuba amid worsening conditions on the island.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Discussions within the Trump administration are focused on potential changes to Cuba’s leadership as economic pressure on the island intensifies, according to reporting from The Atlantic, which cited unnamed officials familiar with the planning.
The report states that U.S. policy actions are designed to increase pressure on Cuba’s government while exploring pathways to install leadership viewed as more favorable to U.S. interests. “Regime change is lined up,” one administration official told the outlet.
President Donald Trump has also made public comments about U.S. intentions regarding the island. Speaking at the White House, Trump said he believed he would have the “honor of taking Cuba,” adding, “Whether I free it, take it—I think I can do anything I want with it.”
According to the report, the administration is pursuing multiple avenues, including legal strategies. Federal prosecutors in South Florida are reportedly preparing potential indictments against members of Cuba’s political and military leadership, including individuals connected to the Castro family. The potential charges could involve allegations tied to violent crime, drug trafficking, immigration violations, and espionage.
Officials are also said to be evaluating possible leadership structures in a post-transition government, including discussions involving Cuban-American donors and business figures.
The broader strategy, as described by individuals familiar with the planning, is to pursue political change while avoiding widespread instability or humanitarian disruption. One official said, “We control our hemisphere, and we have the ability to do this,” adding, “We want these hostile regimes out of our hemisphere, and we’re going to set up the business community, because we don’t believe in diplomacy.”
A statement from the State Department described conditions in Cuba as deteriorating, stating, “An island that was once the crown jewel of the Caribbean has plunged into extreme poverty and darkness. This is the tragic result of over sixty years of Communist rule.”
The developments come as Cuba faces significant infrastructure and energy challenges. The country recently experienced a nationwide power outage, as reported by Reuters, marking the second such collapse within a single week. While localized outages have been common, back-to-back nationwide failures have not been previously recorded.
The energy crisis follows a series of U.S. actions affecting oil supply to the island. After changes in Venezuela earlier this year, Cuba lost a primary source of oil imports. Additional pressure has come from restrictions on other countries providing energy support, as well as limitations on transactions involving Russian oil shipments.
Although sanctions on some Russian exports were temporarily eased due to global pricing concerns, restrictions remain in place for transactions involving Cuba, along with other designated regions.
Senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have publicly supported the idea of leadership change in Cuba. Rubio has called for “new people in charge,” while Trump has referenced the possibility of a “friendly takeover,” later adding, “It may not be a friendly takeover.”
Despite ongoing pressure, Cuban officials have entered into discussions with the United States, though they have indicated that the country’s leadership structure is not subject to negotiation.
The situation continues to develop as economic conditions on the island worsen and diplomatic engagement proceeds alongside reported contingency planning.
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