Trump Is Looking for a New Leader for Cuba
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is looking among current and former Cuban officials for someone who could lead the country's government. According to The New York Times, Washington is not yet talking about a complete regime change, but rather about restructuring the regime amid increasing pressure on Havana.
The Trump administration has tasked U.S. intelligence agencies with identifying a potential new leader for Cuba. This does not necessarily have to be someone from the opposition. Washington is also considering current or former representatives of the Cuban government. According to the U.S. administration’s plan, this should be a pragmatic official capable of taking control of the government and cooperating with the United States.
According to the publication, U.S. officials are looking to the example of Venezuela. There, after the U.S. military detained the country’s former leader, Nicolás Maduro, in January, Delcy Rodríguez became interim president. In Washington, she was viewed as a pragmatic politician who could take control of state institutions without significant problems and be ready to cooperate closely with the U.S. Some representatives of the Trump administration believe that a similar candidate can be found among Cuban officials.
Cuba Is Not Venezuela
At the same time, according to sources cited by the NYT, U.S. intelligence agencies do not view the situation in Cuba as an exact replica of Venezuela’s. In their view, Cuba is more like Iran. There, the government has strong internal ties, and the system may prove to be much more resilient to external pressure.
U.S. officials also believe that there are few influential figures among Cuba’s current or former leadership who would be prepared to take the reins of the country in the event of a sudden change in the situation. The influence of Raúl Castro remains a particularly complex issue. The former president of Cuba no longer heads the state; however, according to U.S. officials, he still wields significant influence within the Cuban system.
What Trump Wants
According to The New York Times, Washington’s goal at present is to change the way the Cuban regime operates rather than to dismantle it entirely. In other words, the U.S. is not simply looking for someone to replace the current leadership. Rather, it is looking for a potential leader who could maintain control over the state but would also be willing to pursue policies more favorable to Washington.
The search for such a candidate is taking place against the backdrop of intensifying U.S. pressure on Havana. At the same time, as the NYT notes, there are no signs yet that Washington has settled on a specific individual or that any Cuban officials have agreed to such a scenario.
Thus, the Trump administration is considering various scenarios for developments in Cuba and is trying to find someone within the system who could become a potential partner for the U.S. in the event of a change in leadership. This is reported by The New York Times, citing current and former U.S. officials.
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