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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has revealed that US President Donald Trump has no plans to order a military invasion of Cuba. The clarification followed a high-profile meeting between the two leaders at the White House, where the regional security climate and the ongoing pressures on the island nation were primary points of discussion.
Speaking at a press conference at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Lula shared details of the approximately two-and-a-half-hour dialogue, which was notably closed to the press. According to a report by The Hill, the Brazilian leader expressed optimism regarding Trump's stance. "I heard him, assuming the translation was correct, and heard him say that he has no intention of invading Cuba; that is what the interpreter conveyed here," Lula stated, according to remarks provided by the foreign pool reporter. Characterising the statement as a "great sign" from the US President, Lula noted that Havana has demonstrated a clear willingness to engage in dialogue. He emphasised that "Cuba wants to talk, and Cuba wants to find a solution to put an end to the blockade," referring to the decades-long economic restrictions that he argued have "prevented Cuba from becoming a fully integrated, free nation ever since the victory of the 1959 revolution." The diplomatic overture comes at a time when Cuba has been firmly in Trump's "crosshairs," particularly following the bold January military operation that led to the capture of Venezuela's president. Since then, the Trump administration has effectively choked off Venezuela's oil exports to Havana and ramped up international pressure to deny fuel to the island's communist government. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been tasked by the President to negotiate an agreement with Cuban officials, reportedly focusing on the "country's economy and changing its communist leadership." However, Trump has also indicated a desire to conclude the joint US and Israeli military campaign against Iran, which commenced on February 28, before initiating significant new policy shifts regarding Cuba. Despite the assurance against an invasion, the administration continues to tighten the economic screws. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a fresh wave of sanctions targeting the island, which remains designated by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism. These latest measures hit GAESA, which the administration described as "a Cuban military-controlled umbrella enterprise," as well as its Executive Vice President, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera. As reported by The Hill, the sanctions further extended to MNSA, a joint venture involving the Canadian mining company Sherritt and the state-owned La Compania General de Niquel. Rubio asserted that MNSA "exploited Cuba's natural resources to benefit the regime at the expense of the Cuban people." In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, Sherritt confirmed it was suspending its joint venture operations in direct response to the US restrictions, The Hill added. (ANI)
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