Cuba’s president warns US against attacking island or trying to depose him

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the United States has no valid reason to carry out a military attack against the island or to attempt to depose him.

Speaking in an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press programme, the president said an invasion of Cuba

would be costly and affect regional security. But should it happen, Diaz-Canel said, Cubans would defend themselves.

He added: “If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, ‘Dying for the homeland is to live’.”

His comments come as tensions between Cuba and the US remain high despite both sides acknowledging talks, although no details have been shared.

Diaz-Canel has accused the US government of implementing a “hostile policy” against Cuba and said it has “no moral to demand anything from Cuba”. He noted that Cuba is interested in engaging in dialogue and discussing any topic without conditions, “not demanding changes from our political system as we are not demanding change from the American system, about which we have a number of doubts”.

Cuba blames a US energy blockade for its deepening woes, with a lack of fuel affecting the island’s health system, public transport and the production of goods and services.