On Monday, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, the Cuban ambassador to the United Nations, appeared on Fox News' "America's Newsroom" to respond to remarks made by President Donald Trump. Last Thursday, Trump asserted that the United States would "take Cuba almost immediately" after wrapping up operations in Iran.
Soberón Guzmán firmly dismissed any notion of capitulation: "Anyone who believes terms like surrender, capitulate, or collapse are in the Cuban vocabulary, in the vocabulary of the Cuban people, is completely mistaken. What you will find in the Cuban lexicon are words like resilience, resistance, defense of sovereignty, and protection of our independence."
The diplomat's statement came just days following Trump's depiction at a private dinner at the Forum Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he visualized a scenario with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier stopping "about 100 yards off the Cuban coast," to which the regime would allegedly respond, "Thank you very much, we surrender."
When asked by the Fox News interviewer if he would accept humanitarian aid from the Abraham Lincoln if it were stationed off Havana's coast, Soberón Guzmán sidestepped a direct answer, instead highlighting the May Day parade as evidence of popular support.
Claims of Popular Support and Reality
The ambassador claimed that 500,000 individuals marched in Havana and over five million across the country, "indicating our readiness to dialogue with the U.S. while simultaneously prepared to defend our sovereignty and independence." However, these figures are official regime statistics and have not been independently verified. Aerial images of the Malecón and the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune showed significantly lower attendance than reported by Cuban authorities.
Soberón Guzmán's appearance on Fox News is part of a series of defiant statements issued by the regime since last Thursday. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla labeled Trump's words as a "new clear and direct threat of military aggression," asserting that "Cubans will not be intimidated."
Additionally, Miguel Díaz-Canel took to social media to declare that "no aggressor, regardless of power, will find surrender in Cuba," while the Communist Party released an institutional statement echoing this sentiment.
The Impact of U.S. Sanctions
This rhetoric of resistance sharply contrasts with the reality faced by the Cuban populace. Trump signed a new executive order last Thursday, freezing all U.S.-based assets of individuals or entities linked to the Cuban regime within the energy, defense, mining, and financial services sectors, while imposing secondary sanctions on foreign banks doing business with sanctioned Cuban entities.
Since January 2025, the Trump administration has enacted over 240 sanctions against Cuba and intercepted at least seven oil tankers en route to the island, slashing energy imports by 80% to 90%.
The consequences for the Cuban people are dire: power outages lasting up to 25 continuous hours across more than 55% of the territory and an anticipated economic contraction of 7.2% for 2026, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit.
In response, the regime launched the "My Signature for the Homeland" campaign, alleging 6,230,973 signatures against the sanctions. Foreign Minister Rodríguez claimed that 81% of the population had signed, a figure analysts and opposition groups deem implausible without massive coercion in workplaces and schools.
Continued Defiance Amid Economic Struggles
In this context, Díaz-Canel had already warned on April 16 that Cuba was "prepared to confront serious threats, including military aggression," during the 65th-anniversary event commemorating the socialist character of the revolution.
The U.S. Senate, on Monday, rejected a Democratic resolution by Senator Tim Kaine, with a 51 to 47 vote, that sought to limit Trump's war powers over Cuba, clearing the way for the administration to maintain maximum pressure on the regime.
Soberón Guzmán had rehearsed this same message in March when he stated on Bloomberg that "if anyone attempts to invade or attack Cuba, they will face an entire nation, 10 million people, ready to defend our sovereignty and independence," a formula the regime continues to repeat in numerous international forums as the Island plunges into its worst economic and energy crisis in decades.
Frequently Asked Questions About U.S.-Cuba Relations
What was the Cuban ambassador's response to Trump's remarks?
Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, the Cuban ambassador to the UN, dismissed any notion of capitulation, emphasizing resilience and the defense of sovereignty and independence as key elements of the Cuban vocabulary.
How has the U.S. increased pressure on Cuba?
The Trump administration has enacted over 240 sanctions against Cuba, intercepted oil tankers bound for the island, and issued an executive order freezing U.S.-based assets linked to the Cuban regime, intensifying economic pressure.
What are the reported effects of U.S. sanctions on Cuba?
The sanctions have led to severe power outages and an anticipated economic downturn, with projections indicating a 7.2% contraction in 2026.