Trump’s ‘take Cuba’ threat: President Miguel Diaz-Canel guarantees ‘unbreakable resistance’ after 29-hour blackout

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Wednesday criticised repeated threats from US President Donald Trump, warning that Cuba will resist any form of external aggression even as the country faces a worsening fuel and economic crisis.In a post on X, Diaz-Canel said, “Faced with the worst-case scenario, Cuba has one guarantee: any external aggressor will encounter an unbreakable resistance.” His remarks come amid Trump’s repeated threats, including a day ago when Trump told reporters he could “take Cuba in some form” and claimed he could “do anything” with the country. “I do believe I’ll be having the honour of taking Cuba,” Trump told reporters. “Taking Cuba in some form, yeah,” he added when a reporter asked for clarification. “Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it — I think I could do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth.”He also said the United States was already engaging with Cuba and hinted at possible action after ongoing operations related to Iran.The statements are unusual in US-Cuba relations. Since Fidel Castro came to power, no US president has publicly suggested taking control of the island.At the same time, the US has increased pressure on Cuba through economic measures. Since January, Washington has effectively blocked oil shipments to the country by warning other nations against supplying fuel. A US Coast Guard vessel also intercepted a tanker carrying crude oil to Cuba.The impact on Cuba has been severe. The country has not received major fuel shipments since early January. This has led to rising fuel prices on the black market and frequent power outages. A 29-hour nationwide blackout was reported recently, and large parts of the capital Havana, remained without electricity.The crisis is affecting daily life. Hospitals are delaying surgeries, medicines are running low, and food shortages are increasing across the island.Facing growing pressure, the Cuban government has started talks with the United States and signalled possible economic changes. Authorities have announced steps to allow Cubans living abroad to invest and do business in the country.Reports also suggest the US wanted changes in Cuba’s leadership. Meanwhile, Russia has said it was in close contact with Cuba and could support it if required.