U.S. Military Leader Meets Cuban Officials Amid Tensions

WASHINGTON (AP) – On Friday, a top U.S. military commander in Latin America met with Cuban military leaders for a brief discussion on operational security near the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This visit marks another move by U.S. officials as President Donald Trump intensifies pressure on Cuba’s leadership.

President Trump has declared that Cuba is next after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a raid in January. Recently, the Trump administration has enforced an oil blockade, maintained warships in the Caribbean, and brought federal charges against a former Cuban president.

High-ranking Trump advisors, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have engaged with Cuban officials to discuss improving relations. However, these discussions left the U.S. side dissatisfied, resulting in more sanctions against the Cuban government. On Friday, American General Francis L. Donovan visited Cuban military officials and assessed the security of the naval base. During his visit, he also discussed the safety of military personnel and their families, as well as operational readiness with base officials, according to a U.S. Southern Command statement.

The United States continues to maintain its base at Guantanamo Bay despite decades of conflict with Cuba’s socialist rulers, whom Trump aims to overthrow. Currently, the U.S. military has a limited presence of naval ships in the Caribbean, much fewer than during the raid on Maduro.

On Friday, the Pentagon announced that a new unit comprising 1,300 sailors and Marines would replace the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which was deployed in the region last year.

This story was translated from English by an AP editor with assistance from a generative AI tool.