{"id":13440,"date":"2026-06-09T21:01:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440"},"modified":"2026-06-09T21:01:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:01:43","slug":"cubas-top-envoy-to-us-calls-trumps-sanctions-on-cuban-leaders-a-pretext-for-military-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440","title":{"rendered":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By MATTHEW LEE, AP Diplomatic Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Recent U.S. sanctions targeting Cuba\u2019s leadership and the indictment of former President Ra\u00fal Castro are a \u201cpretext\u201d for the Trump administration to persuade the American people to support a military intervention, Cuba\u2019s top diplomat to the United States told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

Read more US urges Europe to step up travel measures to prevent spread of Ebola from Africa<\/a><\/p>\n

In an interview on Tuesday, Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera repeated accusations against the Trump administration made by other Cuban officials, including the foreign minister and the president, and complained bitterly that the U.S. is targeting Cuban civilians with its decades-old embargo and new blockade of energy shipments to the island.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sanctions against our leaders, we see as a pretext to make the American people think we are a threat,\u201d she said at Cuba\u2019s embassy in Washington. \u201cWe are not a threat to the U.S., and we don\u2019t want confrontation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Torres Rivera, who holds the formal title of charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires, described the situation as \u201ca war without bombs.\u201d She said efforts to change Cuba\u2019s government by coercion or force would be met by fierce resistance.<\/p>\n

\u201cRa\u00fal is sacred,\u201d she said of the indictment by a federal grand jury last month of Castro. The 95-year-old former president faces conspiracy and murder charges related to the 1996 shootdown of two unarmed civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue while he was serving as Cuba\u2019s defense minister.<\/p>\n

\u201cRa\u00fal is a sacred symbol of the revolution, and we will defend Ra\u00fal \u2014 as we will the country \u2014 until the end,\u201d Torres Rivera said. \u201cIf we are attacked, we are going to respond, and we are prepared for that. But we don\u2019t want it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her comments reflect a belief among many Cubans and Cuba analysts that the charges against Castro and the sanctions imposed on others in the socialist government\u2019s leadership are similar to those the Trump administration touted as a reason for the military intervention in Venezuela in January that deposed then-President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

On Thursday, the same day the U.S. Treasury Department leveled sanctions on Cuban President Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel, Castro\u2019s son and grandson, along with others, U.S. President Donald Trump said of Cuba: \u201cWe\u2019re going to handle that as soon as we\u2019ve finished\u201d military operations in Iran.<\/p>\n

Trump has been threatening military action in Cuba ever since ousting Maduro and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. That has led to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island.<\/p>\n

Read more 32,000 people displaced by the Philippine earthquake that killed at least 37<\/a><\/p>\n

Torres Rivera said the moves by the Trump administration to tighten the screws on Cuba\u2019s already faltering economy have resulted in untold misery for ordinary Cubans who are struggling to survive with power cuts of up to 20 hours a day and exorbitant costs for gasoline, kerosene and everyday goods, including food and medicine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is happening now is tough,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other administration officials have repeatedly denied that Cuba\u2019s economic strife is America\u2019s fault and repeatedly cast the blame on the Cuban government\u2019s socialist policies. They have not ruled out military action against the island but have said they are willing to give Cuban authorities time to make reforms.<\/p>\n

Torres Rivera said that recent discussions between senior U.S. and Cuban officials in Havana and elsewhere have been \u201cprofessional and respectful.\u201d But she said that Cuba is not willing to change unless reforms are made from within and not under duress.<\/p>\n

A former Cuban ambassador to Vietnam, another socialist country with which Cuba has long-standing ties, she noted that Washington and Hanoi have forged a positive relationship over the past four decades, but only because the Vietnamese enacted reforms at their own pace. The same should be permitted for Cuba, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to make sure that the only changes to the system are done by us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Rubio, however, has said Cuba poses a serious national security threat to America because of its security and intelligence ties with China and Russia and friendly relations with U.S. foes in Latin America.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really don\u2019t believe this system is capable of reform unless new people take over or a new mindset takes hold,\u201d he told lawmakers at a congressional hearing last week.<\/p>\n

The State Department didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment on the Cuban ambassador\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n

Read more Pasadena estate, site of \u2018Dynasty\u2019 pond brawl, seeks $45 million<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cuba\u2019s top diplomat warns that U.S. sanctions are a pretext for military intervention, dismissing claims that the island is a national security threat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-based-on-facts-either-observed-and-verified-directly-by-the-reporter-or-reported-and-verified-from-knowledgeable-sources","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nCuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cuba\u2019s top diplomat warns that U.S. sanctions are a pretext for military intervention, dismissing claims that the island is a national security threat.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Silicon Valley Moving Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\"},\"headline\":\"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440\"},\"wordCount\":805,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440\",\"name\":\"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":682},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?p=13440#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Silicon Valley Moving Post\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post","og_description":"Cuba\u2019s top diplomat warns that U.S. sanctions are a pretext for military intervention, dismissing claims that the island is a national security threat.","og_url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440","og_site_name":"Silicon Valley Moving Post","article_published_time":"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7"},"headline":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action","datePublished":"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440"},"wordCount":805,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp","articleSection":["Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440","name":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action - Silicon Valley Moving Post","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp","datePublished":"2026-06-09T21:01:43+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4846593dbc8c1ab2c3e2d7809900682b.webp","width":1024,"height":682},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=13440#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cuba\u2019s top envoy to US calls Trump\u2019s sanctions on Cuban leaders a \u2018pretext\u2019 for military action"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/","name":"Silicon Valley Moving Post","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/#\/schema\/person\/636e2e5a10a21cf87fe6eb5951e8a6b7","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com"],"url":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13440\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}