Top U.S. Latin America Commander Meets Cuban Military Near Guantanamo as Trump Increases Pressure on Havana

The head of U.S. Southern Command met with Cuban military officials near Guantanamo Bay as the Trump administration continues military, economic and legal pressure against Cuba’s government.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The top U.S. military commander for Latin America met Friday with Cuban military officials near the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, holding what U.S. Southern Command described as a “brief exchange on operational security matters” as President Donald Trump continues to increase pressure on Cuba’s government.

Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, also reviewed security conditions at the naval base and met with base officials about the safety of U.S. service members and their families, as well as operational readiness, according to a post from the command on X.

The meeting marks the latest contact between senior U.S. officials and Cuban representatives during a period of heightened pressure from Washington. Trump has indicated that Cuba could be “next” after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a January raid.

The administration has taken a series of actions against Havana in recent months, including an oil blockade, a continued U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean Sea and federal charges against a former Cuban leader.

Senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have also met with Cuban officials in an effort to assess whether relations could improve. Those discussions have not produced the results U.S. officials sought, and the administration has since imposed additional sanctions on Cuba’s government.

The U.S. has long maintained its naval base at Guantanamo Bay despite decades of strained relations with Cuba’s socialist government. Friday’s exchange between Donovan and Cuban military leaders centered on operational security matters in the area around the base.

The U.S. military presence in the Caribbean remains active but smaller than the force deployed during the Maduro raid. The current presence includes several Navy ships, including at least one amphibious assault ship.

The Pentagon said Friday that a new unit of 1,300 sailors and Marines will replace the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which deployed to the region last summer.