Amid a deepening economic crisis and U.S. pressure, Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, strongly pushed back against Trump administration allegations that the island poses a national security threat to the United States.
Speaking Wednesday in an exclusive interview with the PBS NewsHour, Vidal rejected claims that Cuba is hosting foreign intelligence operations, while warning that the Cuban military is prepared to defend itself against potential U.S. aggression.
"The United States government is not telling the truth," Vidal told PBS NewsHour co-anchor Amna Nawaz. "Cuba is not a threat to the United States, has never been a threat to the United States."
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The diplomatic friction comes as the U.S. increases surveillance flights and positions an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean. The Trump administration has alleged that Cuba serves as a sanctuary for adversaries like China and Russia, utilizing listening posts to spy on the U.S.
When pressed regarding alleged Chinese and Russian personnel positioned on the island, Vidal stated flatly, "No operations by anybody who might be a threat to the United States from the territory of Cuba. This is the case now. This has always been the case."
Vidal further claimed that Washington has failed to provide evidence of these intelligence installations, describing the accusations as "a pretext that is being used in order to justify the escalation... to continue punishing the Cuban people."
A dire humanitarian crisis
The geopolitical standoff is unfolding against the backdrop of a severe humanitarian emergency in Cuba. Blocked oil shipments and strict economic sanctions have crippled the island's infrastructure, triggering widespread food shortages and prolonged blackouts.
"Imagine a country not receiving in five months one drop of oil," Vidal said in describing the catastrophic impact on healthcare, education, and water supplies.
"We have had to postpone, for example, surgeries... The whole Cuban population is under a lot of pressure. And there is no justification for this collective punishment,” she said.
To alleviate the strain, Cuba this month received a tranche of humanitarian aid, including 15,000 tons of rice, from China. However, the Trump administration remains firm on its pressure campaign.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration’s posture, framing Cuba's instability as an immediate regional danger. "Having a failed state 90 miles from our shores is a threat to the national security of the United States," Rubio said during a White House cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Diplomatic channels open
Despite the adversarial rhetoric, both sides acknowledge that diplomatic channels remain open.
Rubio indicated that the U.S. is willing to communicate, noting, "We will be talking to them. We will be working on it. We want something good for the Cuban people."
However, Havana drew a strict line regarding U.S. demands for political restructuring.
Vidal fiercely criticized Rubio — the son of Cuban immigrants who has long advocated for regime change — arguing that he "does not know" or "understand Cuba."
While Vidal reiterated that Cuba remains open to discussing bilateral cooperation, she firmly rejected any U.S.-mandated regime change.
"We are ready to discuss about everything, with one exception, which is issues related to our domestic affairs, internal order," Vidal said. "It's up to the Cuban people, and only to the Cuban people, to decide what we do."
