Washington may pose military threat to Cuba — former US lawmaker

WASHINGTON, June 30. /TASS/. The United States intends to pose a military threat to Cuba, former US House of Representatives member Marjorie Taylor Greene (a Republican from the state of Georgia) told TASS in an interview.

"Does it surprise me to hear ‘oh, Cuba's next?’ No, it doesn't surprise me," she said, commenting on statements made by the US administration regarding the authorities in Havana. "I would imagine there will be a military threat from the United States. But I don't know what that will look like," the former lawmaker emphasized. "I can't imagine Cuba is strong enough to really fight back," Taylor-Greene added.

She also called for the lifting of Washington's unilateral sanctions and trade embargo against Cuba. "It would be good to see the trade embargo lifted and the sanctions lifted. I hope to see that happen, because it's hurt the Cuban people the most," Taylor-Greene noted.

Until recently, the former lawmaker was one of the key like-minded figures and allies of the current US leader, who also represents the US Republican Party. Taylor Greene is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in the MAGA movement. MAGA (Make America Great Again) was Trump’s main political slogan in the 2016 election and has since become firmly established in the US lexicon. However, several months ago, the US president severed ties with Taylor Greene due to her sharp criticism of Washington’s military interventions abroad and Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip.

Trump has previously repeatedly stated that Cuba’s government and economy are on the verge of collapse following the halt of oil shipments from Venezuela to the island nation under pressure from the United States. On February 27, the head of the US administration stated that the US could engage in a "friendly takeover" of Cuba. Politico reported on May 18 that the US government is increasingly inclining toward the use of military force against Cuba.

On March 13, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel noted that Havana and Washington had held talks that "were aimed at finding solutions to bilateral disagreements through dialogue." The head of state identified the goals of the dialogue as determining the issues that require resolution and finding appropriate solutions, as well as "assessing both sides’ readiness to take specific actions for the benefit of the peoples of both countries" and defining areas of cooperation "to counter threats and ensure security and peace." Cuba expressed its willingness to pursue this process on the basis of equality and respect for the political systems of both states, as well as for the sovereignty and self-determination of the government in Havana, Diaz-Canel stressed.