Democrats pressure Trump to stop any military action against Cuba and close Guantánamo

A group of more than 30 Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives demanded that President Donald Trump abandon any thoughts of military action against Cuba and desist from using the Guantánamo Bay naval base as a detention center for Cuban migrants.

The pressure was reflected in a letter sent to the Secretaries of Defense, Pete Hegseth; of State, Marco Rubio; and Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin. The initiative was led by Congresswoman Delia Ramírez and supported by progressive legislators such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Greg Casar.

The representatives reacted to recent statements by General Francis L. Donovan, head of the United States Southern Command, who informed Congress that there is an executive order to support the Department of Homeland Security in the event of a massive migratory flow from Cuba. As he explained, Guantanamo could be used to set up temporary detention camps for migrants.

Democrats described that possibility as “alarming and unacceptable,” arguing that the military rotten has a history of human rights abuses since the so-called war on terrorism after the September 11 attacks.

Lawmakers denounce history of abuses in Guantánamo

In the letter, the congressmen recalled that since 2002 the Guantánamo prison became a symbol of indefinite detentions, torture and ill-treatment denounced by international organizations, including evaluations by the United Nations.

“Extending this model to Cuban migrants would be repeating a pattern of abuses,” said the legislators, who also linked the current migration crisis on the island to decades of US economic sanctions.

Democrats pointed out that the tightening of measures during Trump’s first term aggravated the economic situation in Cuba and accelerated the mass departure of citizens. According to the letter, more than a million Cubans left the island between 2022 and 2023.

They also warned that any US military intervention would cause an “illegal, destabilizing and catastrophic” scenario for the Cuban population and regional stability.

They ask to suspend operations and lift sanctions

In addition to rejecting a possible military attack, the legislators demanded that any transfer of migrants to Guantánamo be canceled and the so-called “Operation Southern Guard” suspended, promoted by the Trump Administration as part of its immigration strategy.

The letter also requests the lifting of economic sanctions and restrictions related to fuel and trade.considering that these policies contribute to humanitarian deterioration and forced migration.

Meanwhile, the Cuban government reacted harshly to recent statements by US officials. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla warned that a military aggression by Washington would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe” and a “bloodbath” with consequences for both countries.

The controversy increases at a time when the White House maintains a more aggressive discourse towards Havana and revives the political debate about the future of Guantanamo, a facility that for years has been the subject of international criticism for human rights violations.

Keep reading:

• Cuba warns of humanitarian crisis in the face of possible US military actions
• Trump affirms that Cuba “is asking for help and we are going to talk”
• What businesses did Trump contemplate in Cuba before presiding over the US and putting pressure on the island?