AiBotHAVANA, CUBA – Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla has once again expressed the Cuban government’s deep-seated disapproval of the US military presence at Guantanamo Naval Base, a facility located on the southeastern coast of the island nation.
In a statement, Rodriquez Parrilla noted that the Guantanamo Naval Base is the only foreign military base on Cuban soil, emphasizing the unwarranted nature of its presence. “The only foreign military base in Cuba, the only foreign military presence, is the unwanted presence of the Guantanamo Naval Base, which the United States usurps from our territory,” Rodríguez Parrilla said.
Rodríguez Parrilla’s comments come as tensions between Cuba and the United States have escalated in recent years. The Guantanamo Naval Base, which has been operational since 1903, has long been a source of contention between the two nations. The Cuban government has long argued that the base is a symbol of US colonialism and a breach of Cuba’s sovereignty.
The US military presence at Guantanamo has also been plagued by controversy, particularly in recent years, due to its use as a detention center for individuals suspected of terrorism and other security threats. The detention center, which was opened in 2002, has been the subject of intense criticism from human rights groups and other international organizations.
Rodríguez Parrilla’s statement is the latest in a long series of public comments made by the Cuban government about the US presence at Guantanamo. While the US has maintained that the base is essential for its national security interests, the Cuban government has long called for its closure.
Relations between the US and Cuba have been strained since the 1959 revolution that overthrew the government of dictator Fulgencio Batista. The US has long imposed economic, commercial and financial restrictions on Cuba, citing its communist government and alleged human rights abuses.
In 2015, the US and Cuba announced a historic thaw in relations, marked by the restoration of diplomatic ties and the easing of some economic sanctions. However, this rapprochement has stalled in recent years, and tensions have increased.
Rodríguez Parrilla’s statement is a clear reminder of the ongoing disagreement between the two nations over the US military presence at Guantanamo. The Cuban government remains committed to the principle of national sovereignty and the expulsion of foreign military forces from its territory.
The US government has not publicly responded to Rodríguez Parrilla’s comments. However, the issue remains a highly sensitive one, with significant implications for relations between the two nations.