The U.S. military reported that Gen. Francis L. Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), engaged in security discussions with high-ranking Cuban military leaders at the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, marking an unusual interaction between the two parties.
According to a post by SOUTHCOM on the X platform on Saturday, Donovan spoke on operational security matters with a Cuban delegation that featured Army Corps Gen. Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, First Deputy Minister of the Chief of the General Staff of Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces.
SOUTHCOM also noted that Donovan performed a perimeter security evaluation of the naval base and conversed with officials regarding matters of force protection, the well-being of service members and their families, along with operational readiness.
The Cuban Armed Forces confirmed that the meeting took place with mutual consent and focused on security concerns in the vicinity of the Guantanamo Bay base, emphasizing an agreement to keep communication channels open between the two military organizations.
In a statement, the Cuban Armed Forces remarked that both sides viewed the meeting positively, deliberating on issues related to safety in the buffer zone surrounding the military facility, and agreed to sustain contacts moving forward.
This meeting occurs as the Trump administration prioritizes the Cuban issue in its foreign policy, with U.S. officials not dismissing the possibility of military action against the island, while Cuban President Miguel DÃaz Canel warned of significant repercussions should the United States choose to escalate.
A U.S. official disclosed on May 15 that CIA Director John Ratcliffe communicated a message from President Donald Trump to senior Cuban officials in Havana, indicating that the United States would “seriously cooperate” with Cuba on economic and security matters only if Cuba implemented “substantial changes.”
This gathering marks the first similar event in recent years between the leader of U.S. Southern Command and senior figures from the Cuban military, taking place amid increasing concerns in Cuba regarding potential U.S. military actions against the island.