Changing visa rules for care workers is wrong, says Rayner
Angela Rayner criticizes proposed visa rule changes for care workers, calling it 'un-British'.
BBC News1 min read
Hegseth warns Cuba against acquiring weapons in visit to Guantánamo Bay
TL;DR
Pete Hegseth warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the U.S. during his visit to Guantánamo Bay. The U.S. has increased pressure on Cuba with sanctions and a blockade, signaling potential consequences for the Cuban government.
Key points
- Pete Hegseth warned Cuba against acquiring threatening weapons
- U.S. has increased pressure on Cuba with sanctions and a blockade
- Hegseth emphasized potential confrontation for Cuba if they pursue weapons
Mentioned in this story
Pete HegsethDonald TrumpCubaGuantánamo Bay
Pete Hegseth has warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the United States, during a visit to the US military base at Guantánamo Bay.
Washington has ramped up pressure against Cuba with sanctions and a devastating oil blockade, and Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled that the Cuban government could be the next after Venezuela to fall to US pressure.
“It would be unwise for the government of Cuba to try to procure or get access to the types of weapons that could reach this base or the American homeland,” the US defense secretary said in remarks to US troops at the base.
“They would be inviting the kind of confrontation not only do they not want, but they could not stand,” said Hegseth, dressed in a green T-shirt and black shorts for physical fitness training with US forces.
“What happens with the future of Cuba is in the hands of ... the president of the United States and the leadership of Cuba,” he said.
US media outlet Axios reported last month that Cuba had obtained more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the Guantánamo base, US military vessels and possibly even Florida.
Cuba has been acquiring attack drones from Russia and Iran since 2023 and is seeking to buy more, US officials told Axios.
Havana slammed the report, with the Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez accusing the United States of baselessly plotting for its next war.
In addition to Guantánamo, Hegseth was due also to travel on Wednesday to Tampa, Florida, the headquarters of US Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US forces in the Middle East, including operations against Iran.
The trip to Guantánamo is the second by Hegseth as Pentagon chief, after another early last year, and is the latest in a series of visits to the island by top US officials.
Late last month, the top US general overseeing operations in Latin America visited Guantánamo, where he met with Cuban military leaders.
Two weeks earlier, the CIA director John Ratcliffe visited Havana and met with Cuban officials.
Guantánamo Bay, 430 miles (700km) south-east of Miami, on the south-eastern coast of Cuba, is the site of a notorious facility for prisoners detained after the 11 September 2001 attacks.
Q&A
What did Pete Hegseth say about Cuba's potential weapon acquisition?
Pete Hegseth warned that it would be unwise for Cuba to procure weapons that could threaten the U.S., indicating it would invite confrontation.
How has the U.S. increased pressure on Cuba recently?
The U.S. has ramped up pressure on Cuba through sanctions and a devastating oil blockade.
What implications does Hegseth's visit to Guantánamo Bay have for U.S.-Cuba relations?
Hegseth's visit and warnings suggest heightened tensions and a firm U.S. stance against Cuba's military actions, impacting future diplomatic relations.
