Cuban President Prepares 'Unshakable Resistance' Against Trump's Threats Amid Electricity Crisis
Diplomatic tensions between Cuba and the United States (US) have reached boiling point. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued a stern warning that any US efforts to take control of the island would be met with “unshakable resistance.”
This defiant statement was made by Díaz-Canel via a post on platform X on Tuesday (17/3/2026), amid the country’s efforts to restore its national electricity grid following a total collapse. He accused Washington of using economic weakening as an “outrageous excuse” to dominate Cuba.
“Only in this way can the fierce economic war be explained, imposed as collective punishment on the entire people,” Díaz-Canel stressed. “In the face of the worst-case scenario, Cuba is accompanied by a certainty: any external aggressor will clash with unshakable resistance.”
On the other side, US President Donald Trump continues to hurl threats at Cuba’s communist leadership. After stating he could do whatever he wanted to the island, Trump gave a strong signal on Tuesday: “We will do something with Cuba soon.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced Washington’s position from the Oval Office. According to him, Cuba needs new leadership because the current government has failed to address the severe economic crisis.
“Their economy is not working… They are in a lot of trouble, and the people in power do not know how to fix it, so they must put new people in power,” Rubio said.
Conditions on the ground have worsened since the US blocked oil supplies to Cuba earlier this year. This has crippled the ageing electricity grid that supports 10 million residents. Last Monday, a total blackout forced residents to cook using gas with the aid of torches and candles. School hours were shortened, sports events postponed, and rubbish piled up due to fuel shortages for collection trucks.
By Tuesday afternoon, electricity had been restored to about 55% in the capital Havana and some western and central regions. Amid the darkness and invasion threats, Cuban residents are gripped by extraordinary anxiety.
“We, as people, as civilians, are not prepared for war,” said Marianela Alvarez, a Havana resident, to Reuters. “I want Trump to understand, leave us alone.”
Although the situation is heating up, Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials have held talks with US counterparts to “identify bilateral issues requiring solutions.” However, grassroots sentiment remains divided between hopes for dialogue and deep distrust of Washington’s foreign policy.