Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Friday accused the United States of deploying “empty rhetoric” to brand Cuba a “sponsor of terrorism” without presenting any evidence, warning that Washington is manufacturing a media narrative to justify what he called military aggression against the island nation.

Diaz-Canel's Accusations Against Washington

In a post on X, Diaz-Canel said claims that Cuba poses a threat to the United States “can only exist in the sick minds” of certain officials within the current US administration. He alleged that those officials have “hijacked” Washington’s Cuba policy and are “lying to the American people and the world” to justify what he described as “a new irrational war with a high potential cost in human lives for both countries.”

The Cuban president charged that the United States — which he called “a country that has harboured the most infamous terrorists of this continent” — is labelling Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism “without presenting a single piece of evidence and in the face of majority repudiation from the international community.”

Cuba's Position: Peace, Self-Defence, and Dialogue

Diaz-Canel maintained that Cuba has sought to live in peace since the triumph of its Revolution, while successive US administrations have “threatened that right time and again.” He said the current situation has escalated to “extreme levels,” combining what he termed “absurd lies with military intimidation” and the deprivation of the Cuban people of basic resources and services.

The president stressed that Cuba “neither threatens, challenges, nor provokes” the United States or any other country, and reaffirmed Havana’s commitment to “reason, dialogue and peace.” He also reiterated Cuba’s right to legitimate self-defence under international law.

Backdrop: US Indictment of Raul Castro and Naval Deployment

The statement comes amid a sharp escalation in US-Cuba tensions. The United States recently indicted Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro in connection with the Cuban military’s fatal downing of two planes 30 years ago. Washington also deployed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to the Caribbean — moves widely seen as part of a broader pressure campaign against Havana.

Diaz-Canel has previously warned that any US military attack on Cuba would cause “a bloodbath with incalculable consequences,” with a devastating impact on peace and stability across Latin America and the Caribbean.

What Comes Next

The diplomatic standoff shows no sign of easing, with Havana signalling it will not back down and Washington maintaining its pressure posture. The deployment of a carrier strike group to the region and the high-profile indictment of Raul Castro suggest the US is intensifying its campaign. How regional neighbours and international bodies respond to the escalation will be closely watched in the coming weeks.