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The caput of the U.S. military's Southern Command met with apical Cuban subject officials Friday astatine the borderline of the American naval basal astatine Guantanamo Bay, SOUTHCOM announced, arsenic President Trump heaps unit connected Cuba and does not regularisation retired subject action.
Gen. Francis Donovan, commandant of SOUTHCOM, held a "brief speech connected operational information matters" with Cuban Gen. Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, the U.S. subject said connected X.
In the past, American and Cuban officers person periodically held "fence-line meetings" to sermon information astatine Guantanamo Bay, a changeless constituent of hostility betwixt the 2 countries due to the fact that Cuba regards the naval presumption — which predates the Castro authorities — arsenic illegal.
But it's acold rarer for the caput of SOUTHCOM, which oversees U.S. forces successful the Caribbean and astir of Latin America, to conscionable with elder Cuban officials.
#SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan met with Army Corps General, Gen. Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, First Deputy Minister of the Chief of the General Staff, and different elder leaders from the Cuban subject contiguous astatine the perimeter of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for a… pic.twitter.com/V4Fau3HxSo
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) May 29, 2026It's the latest high-level interaction betwixt the United States and Cuba, pursuing visits to Havana by CIA Director John Ratcliffe 2 weeks agone and State Department diplomats past month.
In caller months, the Trump medication has enactment aggravated unit connected Cuba, which has frustrated U.S. presidents for decades. The land federation has faced terrible vigor shortages aft Mr. Trump threatened tariffs connected immoderate state that exports lipid to Cuba. The U.S. has besides tightened sanctions and criminally charged 94-year-old erstwhile Cuban person Raúl Castro.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Cuba needs to marque sweeping economical and governmental reforms. When Ratcliffe visited the land to conscionable with Raúl Castro's influential grandson, helium conveyed the connection that the U.S. could grow economical and information practice with Cuba if it made "fundamental changes," a CIA authoritative told CBS News.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has dangled the anticipation of subject action, saying he's funny successful "taking Cuba successful immoderate form" and informing aft the warfare with Iran, "Cuba's going to beryllium next." Still, helium said earlier this month, helium didn't deliberation escalation would beryllium necessary.
The U.S. quality assemblage has analyzed however Cuba mightiness respond to American subject enactment and what benignant of blowback whitethorn follow, CBS News has antecedently reported. Among the concerns: CBS News has confirmed that Cuba has acquired onslaught drones. Rubio has besides raised worries astir Cuba hosting Chinese and Russian spy facilities.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denied Havana poses immoderate subject menace to the U.S., but warned that a U.S. battle would origin a "bloodbath."
During Ratcliffe's gathering successful Havana earlier this month, helium brought on a striking guest: One of the paramilitary operators who was progressive successful a ngo to seizure Cuba's onetime ally, erstwhile Venezuelan person Nicolás Maduro, successful an cognition that killed dozens of Cubans.
He made a constituent of introducing the paramilitary person to the Cubans arsenic the 1 who killed their radical successful Venezuela, respective sources told CBS News earlier this month.
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