Cuba Purchases Over 300 Russian-Iranian Drones
A report published on Sunday (17/05) alleges that Cuba has discussed plans to utilise military drones to attack US naval bases in Guantanamo Bay, American military vessels, and potentially Key West, Florida. The Trump administration is reportedly concerned regarding the advancement of drone warfare technology and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana. An anonymous US official told Axios that the situation poses a serious threat, noting that the proximity of such technology, combined with the presence of dangerous actors including terrorist groups, drug cartels, Iran, and Russia, is deeply alarming. US officials further stated that since 2023, Cuba has purchased attack drones from Russia and Iran and is currently seeking to acquire more.
In response to the Axios report, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla accused the United States of fabricating ‘false cases’ to justify economic sanctions and potential military intervention against Cuba. Writing on X on Sunday, Rodríguez stated that the US government is constructing a false narrative to justify a ‘cruel economic war’ against the Cuban people and potential military aggression, asserting that ‘Cuba does not threaten anyone and does not want war.’ However, Rodríguez did not directly address the specific allegations regarding the drones.
The Axios report emerges amidst intensifying US pressure on Cuba. Recent reports indicate the US government is taking steps to indict Raúl Castro, the former Cuban president and brother of the late Fidel Castro. Furthermore, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited the island nation last Thursday, reportedly warning Cuba against becoming a ‘safe haven for enemies in the West.’ The Trump administration has also effectively disrupted oil shipments to Cuba by threatening tariffs on any nation exporting oil to the Caribbean country, a policy that has reportedly led to widespread power outages across Cuba. Previously in May, US President Donald Trump stated that the United States would ‘take over’ Cuba ‘almost instantaneously’.