political situation in Cuba

US: Not preparing for an invasion of Cuba

The US military has no plans for a military takeover of Cuba. This is what Francis Donovan, commander of US forces in Latin America, said, according to Reuters.

However, the military is ready to defend the embassy and the Guantanamo Bay military base and help the US government curb mass migration from the island if necessary, he added.

The message came during a Senate hearing focusing on Trump's increasingly aggressive policy towards Latin America. The administration has stated that the area is part of the US sphere of interest.

Trump said earlier this week that he expects to take Cuba "in some way" and that he "can do whatever he wants" with the neighboring country.

Cuba: Not negotiating our rule with the US

Cuba does not intend to negotiate with the US about how the country is governed, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said according to Reuters.

– Cuba's political system is not negotiable, and of course we are not negotiating with the US about the president or any public office in Cuba.

According to several sources to the New York Times, the Trump administration's message to Cuba is that President Miguel Díaz-Canel must resign, even though he has two years left in his term.

Russia to help Cuba – but no word on oil

Russia stated on Monday that it is ready to help its crisis-stricken ally Cuba, but is not giving any word on whether there will be any deliveries of the oil the island nation desperately needs, reports FP.

– We are in constant contact with our Cuban friends and are discussing possible assistance. That's all I can say, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

According to shipping websites, a ship with Russian diesel is expected to arrive in Cuba, which is hard-pressed by the US blockade of oil from Venezuela, in the coming days after taking several measures to keep the delivery secret.