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Hegseth says military option remains on the table for Cuba
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in Panama that a military option for Cuba remains under consideration. He highlighted regional security, the fight against drug cartels and the protection of the Panama Canal.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a military option for Cuba remains on the table at the Counter Cartel American Coalition meeting in Panama. Hegseth answered journalists’ questions as he assessed regional security policies and the fight against drug cartels.
Hegseth, who took part in military exercises in Panama, said the United States was closely cooperating with Panama and Ecuador on security and efforts to combat drug cartels. He said Colombia had become the 19th country to join the coalition and that Colombia had proposed establishing the coalition’s headquarters on its territory.
U.S. message on regional partnerships
Hegseth said the coalition’s slogan was “We do bad things to bad people” and described the United States as the “partner of choice” for countries in the region. He accused China, Russia and Iran of pursuing exploitative activities in South America.
All options remain on the table for Cuba
Speaking about Cuba, Hegseth said, “All options, including the military option, remain on the table.” Hegseth argued that the Cuban government should take U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands into account and claimed that the Cuban military could not match the military power of the United States.
Hegseth also recalled the day former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured by American troops. He said air-defense systems supplied by Russia had failed to protect Caracas and that Cuban security personnel had also been unable to protect Maduro.
Security emphasis on the Panama Canal
Hegseth pointed to the Panama Canal’s strategic importance to the United States and said Panamanian authorities were ready to cooperate to prevent interference with the canal’s operation. Hegseth said they would not allow any country to use the Panama Canal as a tool of threat.
Mutual statements on the Cuba blockade
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the U.S. blockade of Cuba as an “act of war” in a statement dated July 7. Rodriguez said the blockade was “slowly suffocating and killing” the Cuban people.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in remarks to journalists on July 23 that change in Cuba would be difficult but necessary for a better future. Rubio accused the Cuban government of clinging to an ideology he argued had failed and of driving the country toward destruction.
At a time when tensions between the United States and Iran were continuing in the Middle East, U.S. media reported that the Pentagon was assessing different options for action against Cuba.
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