Amid growing pressure from the US, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated, in an interview with Spanish politician Pablo Iglesias, that his government is committed to dialogue, but is preparing for “the worst-case scenario” in defense of the sovereignty of the island, which is going through a crisis worsened by the energy embargo imposed by the Trump administration.
who received Iglesias in Havana along with other political leaders and international left-wing activists, declared his willingness to “give his life for the revolution”, in an excerpt from the interview published this Monday (23) by the former leader on his social networks.
“We don’t want war, we want dialogue. We want to reach that point of neutrality that you would consider ideal, but if that point is not reached, we are prepared. And I say this with the deep conviction that I have, that I shared with my family, that we would give our lives for the revolution,” said Díaz-Canel.
His words were a response to a question from Iglesias about a comment made by Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez on his blog “Segunda Cita” (Second Encounter): “I demand my AKM, if they attack. And let it be clear that I say this very seriously.”
In response to this gesture, the Cuban government presented him on Friday with an AKM rifle and a replica of the weapon for his “patriotic willingness” to defend the country.
Rodríguez, who describes himself in his biography as a “troubadour and illustrator”, has a long history of political activism on the island. In recent years, he has criticized the economic policies of the Díaz-Canel government, but on this occasion he expressed his commitment to the defense of the island.
During the interview, Díaz-Canel reiterated his accusations against the United States for the structural problems that have plagued Cuba for decades and stated that “all the miseries, all the evils” were eliminated thanks to the 1959 Revolution.
Cuba stopped receiving oil from Venezuela, its main supplier, after the arrest of dictator Nicolás Maduro by the US.
Subsequently, supplies from other countries, such as Mexico, were also stopped after the government, directly or indirectly.
Fuel shortages. In the last week alone, the island has suffered two total blackouts that have plunged Havana and other cities into darkness.
The lack of oil also interrupted public services and food transportation, generating discontent among the population. In some cities, unusual Cuba protests erupted, with citizens banging pots and lighting fires in the darkness.
Díaz-Canel acknowledged public discontent a few days ago and assured that authorities across the country are seeking solutions.
During the interview with Iglesias, the president reiterated that the country is preparing for “the worst-case scenario” through “a plan to increase the defense readiness of the entire population”, which, according to him, includes “popular participation” in the defense of national sovereignty.
“A concept of defending the country’s sovereignty and independence, but with popular participation, and each Cuban knows what role and what mission they should play in defense,” said Díaz-Canel, stating that the majority of the population is willing to support the government in this situation.
In the same vein, the vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, declared the previous day, in an interview with NBC Newsthat his country’s armed forces are preparing for a possible military attack from the United States.
(With information from Patrick Oppman, Max Saltman, Anabella González and Mauricio Torres, from CNN Español).
