Washington/The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Monday that his Government is investigating whether Iran has drones stored in Cuba and warned that Washington will act if it confirms the presence of this equipment on the Island.
“If they have them, and it is very possible that they do, we will take care of it,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, referring to a question about the possible presence of Iranian weapons in Cuba.
“We are not going to allow that to happen,” he added, noting that US authorities are analyzing whether Tehran could be using Cuba as a storage point for drones.
Trump’s statement comes at a time of increasing pressure from the United States on Cuba, after the US Administration has expanded sanctions against officials and entities linked to the Cuban Government.
“We are not going to allow that to happen”
The United States sanctioned Ministry of Tourism of Cuba and nine state entities, including fuel and goods and services export agencies, as part of their policy of pressure on the island, which is going through an acute economic crisis.
“The Department of State designates ten entities to promote the Trump Administration’s comprehensive initiative aimed at putting an end to the malign activities of the Cuban regime, both in Cuba and throughout our continent,” said a statement.
The sanctions affect Enetec, SA, a state-owned fuel import, export and marketing company; Coreydan SA, dedicated to importing subsidized fuel from Mexico; the Foreign Trade Business Group (Gecomex), which facilitates the purchase and sale of goods and services with other countries, and the Port Maritime Transportation Business Group (Gemar).
Last June, the sanctions reached the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canelseveral of his relatives and Colonel Alejandro Castro Espín, son of former president Raúl Castro (2008-2018).
The Department of Justice has also filed an indictment against Raul Castro for his alleged responsibility in the downing, in 1996, of two small planes belonging to a Cuban exile organization that caused the death of four people.
