US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued the warning to Cuba during a visit to the US military base at Guantanamo Bay on Wednesday.
“It would be foolish for the Cuban government to try to procure or gain access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or the American homeland,” Hegseth said, without providing details on such weapons.
“Not only are they inviting the kind of conflict they don’t want, they can’t afford,” he said. He claimed that “no country on Earth can match the capabilities of the United States.”
Guantanamo Bay is located near the southern tip of Cuba. It is the only US base in another country that is held on indefinite lease and against the will of the host government.
Since January, the US has blocked energy shipments to the island nation, causing massive power outages and halting transportation. This is in addition to the sweeping trade embargo that Washington has imposed since 1962.
“What happens with the future of Cuba is in the hands of the President of the United States and the Cuban leadership,” Hegseth said.
Cuba rejects claims of military buildup
US news outlet Axios, citing classified intelligence documents, reported last month that Cuba was acquiring hundreds of attack drones from Russia and Iran.
A day later, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said on Twitter that some media outlets had “promoted slander” and “leaked signals from the US government itself.”
“Cuba has the right to legitimate self-defense against any external aggression,” he said.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that although Cuba has no plans for aggression, if US threats were successful, “it would lead to bloodshed with incalculable consequences, in addition to having a devastating impact on regional peace and stability.”
Edited by: Shawn Sinico