Trump is putting pressure on Cuba - why and to what end?

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Trump is putting pressure on Cuba - why and to what end? 12 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GooglePascal Fletcher ,Latin America specialist, Monitoring ,Duncan WalkerandAlicia CurryReutersSince returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has made clear his desire to change Havana's leadershipThe relationship between the United States and Cuba - already strained and fragile for decades - has been rapidly deteriorating in recent weeks. Accusing Cuba of posing a national security threat, the US has hit it with an oil blockade, sanctions and now an unprecedented murder indictment against former leader Raúl Castro.

Washington is also warning that a peaceful agreement with the Caribbean nation is unlikely, while Cuba says the US is using a "fraudulent case" to justify military intervention. But what is driving the US pressure on Cuba and how is it responding? Cuba accuses US of building 'fraudulent case' for military actionRussia and China condemn US over indictment of former Cuban leaderCIA chief visits Cuba as energy crisis worsensCould the US take military action against Cuba?

The Details

Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has made clear his desire to change Havana's leadership and has openly mused that Cuba is "ready to fall". In March, he suggested the country was in "deep trouble" as he threatened a "friendly takeover". There has been no announcement of plans for any military intervention but Cuba is on edge.

especially as surveillance activity in the Caribbean increases. Over the past week, the US military has been publicly broadcasting the location of its aircrafts near Cuba on plane-tracking websites. Leaving the flight transponders on "is likely deliberate", said UK drone expert Dr Steve Wright, with the US intending to send "a clear message it has eyes in the sky to maintain the squeeze".

Flight-tracking data does not give a complete picture as military aircrafts often only share their location for portions of a flight. Meanwhile, US news site Axios, citing classified intelligence, reported that Cuba possessed 300 drones and was discussing striking nearby US targets - including Guantanamo Bay, Key West in Florida, and naval vessels. It also quoted a US official who said the intelligence - which it characterised as a potential pretext for US military intervention - suggested Iranian military advisers were in Havana.

Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, responded by saying the country "neither threatens nor desires war" and accused Washington of building a "fraudulent case" for military intervention. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the White House's preference was "a diplomatic solution" but added that Trump had the right and obligation to protect his country against any threat. He also called Cuba a "national security threat" and said the likelihood of a peaceful agreement is "not high".

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.