WASHINGTON (AP) — Recent U.S. sanctions targeting Cuba's leadership and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro are a “pretext” for the Trump
Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of Cuba Lianys Torres Rivera, speaks with The Associated Press at the mission in Washington, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. WASHINGTON — Recent U.S. sanctions targeting Cuba’s leadership and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro are a “pretext” for the Trump administration to persuade the American people to support a military intervention, Cuba’s top diplomat to the United States told The Associated Press.
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.
“The sanctions against our leaders, we see as a pretext to make the American people think we are a threat,” she said at Cuba’s embassy in Washington. “We are not a threat to the U.S., and we don’t want confrontation. ” Torres Rivera, who holds the formal title of chargé d’affaires, described the situation as “a war without bombs. ” She said efforts to change Cuba’s government by coercion or force would be met by fierce resistance.
“Raúl is sacred,” 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’s defense minister.
“Raúl is a sacred symbol of the revolution, and we will defend Raúl — as we will the country — until the end,” Torres Rivera said. “If we are attacked, we are going to respond, and we are prepared for that. But we don’t want it.
” 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’s leadership are similar to those the Trump administration touted as a reason for the military intervention in Venezuela in January that deposed then-President Nicolás Maduro. On Thursday, the same day the U.S. Treasury Department leveled sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Castro’s son and grandson, along with others, U.S. President Donald Trump said of Cuba: “We’re going to handle that as soon as we’ve finished” military operations in Iran.
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.
Torres Rivera said the moves by the Trump administration to tighten the screws on Cuba’s 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. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other administration officials have repeatedly denied that Cuba’s economic strife is America’s fault and repeatedly cast the blame on the Cuban government’s 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. Torres Rivera said that recent discussions between senior U.S. and Cuban officials in Havana and elsewhere have been “professional and respectful. ” But she said that Cuba is not willing to change unless reforms are made from within and not under duress.
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.
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.
“I really don’t believe this system is capable of reform unless new people take over or a new mindset takes hold,” he told lawmakers at a congressional hearing last week. WASHINGTON — If President Donald Trump is coming to the game, bet on the visiting team. You’ll usually be in the money — at least if recent history holds.
The New York Knicks, coming off two straight wins in the finals against the San Antonio Spurs, lost at home 115-111 on Monday night with WASHINGTON — Recent U.S. sanctions targeting Cuba’s leadership and the indictment of former President Raúl Castro are a “pretext” for the Trump administration to persuade the American people to support a military intervention, Cuba’s top diplomat to the United States told The Associated Press. In an interview on Tuesday, Ambassador Lianys Torres Rivera repeated WASHINGTON — Mismanagement at a massive Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas created unsafe conditions that contributed to detainee deaths and suffering even as millions of wasted tax dollars enriched contractors, according to a federal report released Tuesday.
The Government Accountability Office who died in January after being held down by guards, was NEW YORK — An NBA finals viewing party in Manhattan on Monday turned “incredibly reckless,” New York City police claimed, as some dejected Knicks fans scaled light poles, pelted officers with objects and ripped signs out of the street following the team’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The rowdy scenes came a few CHARLOTTE, N.C.
— A man charged in the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee on a North Carolina commuter train cannot currently stand trial because of his mental illness and will undergo medical treatment to try to restore his competency, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Decarlos Brown Jr., 35, faces a federal charge of WASHINGTON — Federal health regulators on Tuesday signed off on the first new sunscreen ingredient for the U.S. market in more than 25 years, giving Americans access to a skin-protecting chemical long used in Europe and other parts of the world.
The Food and Drug Administration says the ingredient, bemotrizinol, met the agency’s standards June is National Men’s Health Month: Advancing prostate cancer treatment while preserving quality of life One in eight men will hear the words"you have prostate cancer" in their lifetime. Unfortunately, many men tend to overlook the importance of preventative care.
Why 45 is the new 50: The updated playbook for colon cancer screenings Colon cancer is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer, and routine screenings are the best way to reduce your chances of becoming a statistic. Redmond HVAC contractor earns triple recognition in 60 days, reflecting a shift in how homeowners vet contractors Three independent organizations that evaluate home service contractors each reached the same conclusion: Home Comfort Alliance is among the most reliable in its market.
WSECU Community Champion: Chrystal Ortega’s mission to feed Spokane Chrystal Ortega's tireless dedication recently earned her the WSECU Community Champions Award and a $1,000 grant to further the mission.
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