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US Secretary of War does not rule out possible capture of Díaz-Canel; 'all options are on the table'
🇲🇽 Mexico /Conflict & Security

US Secretary of War does not rule out possible capture of Díaz-Canel; 'all options are on the table'

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that "all options are on the table" regarding potential military action against Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
  • Hegseth alluded to the possibility of a "capture and kill" operation, similar to the one conducted against Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.
  • The US has increased pressure on Cuba, including oil blockades, and Hegseth warned against Cuba acquiring weapons that could threaten the US.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has not ruled out the possibility of a military operation to capture Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, stating that "all options are on the table." Responding to press inquiries, Hegseth indicated that the Pentagon is considering various actions, drawing parallels to the US operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

all options are on the table

— Pete HegsethResponding to questions about potential US military action to capture Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

During a visit to the US Central Command (Centcom) in Florida, Hegseth remarked, "We have options all over the place." When pressed about a potential "capture and kill" operation targeting Díaz-Canel, he reiterated, "all those options are on the table." He emphasized Centcom's expertise in planning, stating, "In our building, we literally make our living planning. So, aside from the Pentagon, nobody plans better than the United States Central Command."

We have options all over the place.

— Pete HegsethDescribing the range of potential actions considered by the Pentagon.

Hegseth asserted that significant pressure is currently being applied to the Cuban regime, and that leaders in Havana face "big decisions." He cautioned that leaders might make wrong choices under duress. However, he avoided explicitly confirming whether the US military plans an operation akin to the January 3 raid in Caracas that resulted in Maduro's arrest.

In our building, we literally make our living planning. So, aside from the Pentagon, nobody plans better than the United States Central Command.

— Pete HegsethHighlighting the planning capabilities of Centcom in relation to potential operations.

"All I would say is: options, options, options. Our job is to present options on different scales, depending on where the commander in chief, the president of the United States, wants to go," Hegseth stated. He also warned Cuba against threatening the United States, particularly after declarations made at Guantanamo Bay. Hegseth noted that while there is always a risk, he was not referring to specific intelligence regarding China or Russia arming Cuba. He concluded by saying that Cuba's future rests with President Donald Trump, and the Department of War would be prepared for any contingency.

There is a lot of pressure on the Cuban regime right now and for good reason.

— Pete HegsethCommenting on the current geopolitical situation surrounding Cuba.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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