U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a direct warning to Cuba: do not seek weapons that threaten the Guantanamo base or U.S. territory, because it would provoke a confrontation it could not win. The statement comes amid an energy blockade that keeps the island experiencing blackouts and transportation stoppages, pressure that many interpret as part of Washington's strategy.
Military technology and energy dependence in the crosshairs ⚡
Hegseth's warning focuses on weapons systems Cuba could acquire, such as cruise missiles or advanced anti-aircraft systems, capable of reaching the naval base or the Florida Strait. However, the island's technical reality is different: its energy infrastructure, based on obsolete thermal plants without spare parts due to the embargo, frequently collapses. The country lacks local production capacity to maintain a modern defense, and any acquisition of military hardware would require logistics that the blockade hinders.
Hegseth's threat: a missile against a blackout 🔥
In other words, Hegseth tells Cuba not to arm itself because it cannot win, while Washington cuts its power so it cannot even charge its phone. It is like threatening a neighbor not to fight if they have no electricity to watch the fight. The strategy seems straight out of a dark humor manual: first you turn off the fridge, then you warn them not to steal the ice.