Cuba ready for possible US invasion – deputy foreign minister

US President Donald Trump has mused about “taking over” the island during an oil blockade he imposed

Cuba is prepared to defend itself against a potential US invasion, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio has said, following remarks by US President Donald Trump about taking over the island.

The comments come as Cuba faces a deepening economic crisis triggered by an oil blockade imposed by Trump in January.

This month, Havana opened talks with Washington in an effort to ease tensions. The US president, however, again spoke last week about “taking Cuba in some form,” arguing that he could do “anything I want” with the Caribbean nation.

Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Fernandez de Cossio stressed that Cuba “has historically been ready to mobilize as a nation as a whole for military aggression.”

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“We don’t believe it is something that is probable, but we would be naive if we do not prepare,” the diplomat said, adding that any invasion would have “no justification whatsoever.”

Fernandez de Cossio rejected the possibility of regime change, after reports suggested Washington was considering a deal that would relax trade restrictions in return for an “off-ramp” for Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. This option is “absolutely” off the table in discussions with the US, he said.

Last week, Cuba was plunged into a nationwide blackout that left nearly 11 million people without electricity. The country has faced weeks of power cuts and fuel shortages after Venezuelan oil shipments were halted following the US campaign against President Nicolas Maduro and efforts by Washington to block other suppliers.

Trump has cited Cuba’s ties with Russia, China, Iran, and pro-Palestinian armed groups as reasons for the blockade. Havana has denounced the pressure as illegal under international law.