Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to X on Saturday to publicly denounce any potential military action by the United States against Cuba. He labeled such a move as a "military aggression against Latin America," aligning himself with Cuba's regime in the face of Washington's pressure.
Petro's statement came shortly after former President Donald Trump, at a Forum Club dinner in West Palm Beach, Florida, suggested that the U.S. might swiftly take control of Cuba following its operations in Iran. Trump described a scenario involving the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier positioned 100 yards from Cuban shores to compel the regime's surrender.
Petro asserted, "I oppose a military aggression against Cuba because that would be an aggression against Latin America." He further insisted that "the Caribbean is a zone of peace and this must be respected," affirming that "Cubans are the sole owners of their country."
Concluding his message with a bold declaration, Petro stated, "This continent is the continent of Freedom, not of invasions," and paid homage to José Martí and the "free and sovereign republics of Latin America and the Caribbean."
However, Petro's stance appears to disregard the harsh reality of 67 years under a communist dictatorship that has deprived the Cuban people of the sovereignty he champions. The principal barrier to Cuban freedom is not Washington, but rather, the regime in Havana itself.
In response to Trump's remarks, the Cuban regime defiantly reacted. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla declared that Cuba "will not be intimidated," while President Miguel Díaz-Canel insisted that no "aggressor" will subdue the island, calling on the international community to address these "dangerous and unprecedented" threats.
The regime also shifted the May Day parade to the Anti-Imperialist Tribunal in front of the U.S. embassy, attended by Raúl Castro and Díaz-Canel.
Furthermore, Trump signed a new executive order intensifying sanctions against Cuba, freezing assets linked to the regime and imposing secondary sanctions on foreign banks dealing with Cuban entities.
Petro's alignment with Havana follows a consistent pattern. In October 2025, he boycotted an international summit after Cuba's exclusion and has worked alongside Cuba and Venezuela to strengthen CELAC as an alternative bloc to the U.S.
The "zone of peace" Petro references is tied to the Proclamation adopted during the II CELAC Summit in Havana, January 2014, which asserts the principle of non-intervention and rejection of military interventions.
Nevertheless, as reported by Bloomberg, Washington's actual strategy is not a direct military invasion but rather transforming Cuba into an economic protectorate through financial pressure and energy isolation.
Since January 2026, the Trump administration has imposed over 240 new sanctions against Cuba, intercepted at least seven oil tankers, and reduced Cuban energy imports by 80% to 90%, a campaign Trump has vowed to continue.
Insights on U.S.-Cuba Relations
Why does Gustavo Petro oppose U.S. military intervention in Cuba?
Petro opposes U.S. military intervention in Cuba because he views it as an aggression against Latin America, aligning with the notion of regional sovereignty and peace.
What is the U.S.'s actual strategy towards Cuba, according to Bloomberg?
The U.S. aims to transform Cuba into an economic protectorate through financial pressure and energy isolation, rather than a direct military invasion.
How has the Trump administration intensified pressure on Cuba since 2026?
Since 2026, the Trump administration has implemented over 240 sanctions, intercepted several oil tankers, and drastically curtailed Cuba's energy imports.