Designs on Cuba: Endless U.S. Interventions A Cause for Concern

Editorial

15:00 JST, March 30, 2026

Having overthrown Venezuela’s anti-U.S. government and attacked Iran, which has caused widespread turmoil around the world, U.S. President Donald Trump is now revealing his ambitions to dominate Cuba.

One cannot help but feel concerned about the fact that he continues to trample on the sovereignty of nations that do not align with his will and persist in intervention by force.

Because the Trump administration attacked Venezuela, a South American oil-producing nation, at the start of the year and brought its oil interests under U.S. control, the Caribbean socialist nation of Cuba has been cut off from the oil supplies it had primarily imported from that country.

Furthermore, Trump has signed an executive order imposing tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba. Cuba had been earning foreign currency by dispatching doctors to countries in Central and South America, but under U.S. pressure, a number of countries have been terminating their contracts.

It is obvious that the United States is attempting to economically strangle Cuba, its long-time adversary, and weaken its one-party regime governed by the Communist Party of Cuba.

Since the Cuban Revolution of 1959, past U.S. administrations in various historical circumstances such as the Cold War have attempted to overthrow the communist regime and imposed various economic sanctions.

However, Trump now seeks to draw attention to himself, saying, “I do believe I will be having the honor of taking Cuba … I think I can do anything I want with it.” Ahead of the midterm elections this autumn, Trump likely hopes to bring about regime change in Cuba to boost his approval ratings.

While putting pressure on Cuba, the United States, together with Israel, began attacking Iran at the end of February. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing turmoil for the global economy. The United States should first and foremost focus on resolving the situation in Iran.

Severe impacts are spreading in Cuba. In addition to frequent island-wide power outages, fuel shortages have led to a series of flight cancellations, and the tourism industry — the country’s mainstay — has been dealt a major blow.

There has even been an incident in which demonstrators protesting economic hardship have attacked a Communist Party facility. It was an unprecedented development in Cuba, which is ruled by an authoritarian regime.

It is possible that public backlash against the communist administration’s long-standing denial of freedom of speech and suppression of dissident activities is erupting with the U.S. intervention as a springboard.

A nation’s political system is a matter for its own people to decide, and other countries should not interfere. Under this premise, the fact that the United States and Cuba have begun talks can be seen as a step forward for now.

The United States is reportedly demanding Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s resignation, but the process should strictly take the form of Cuba itself driving reforms, to avoid interference in its internal affairs.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 30, 2026)