In the wake of recent threats from President Donald Trump towards Cuba, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has voiced concerns about a potential migration crisis from the island to the U.S.
Gates, in a conversation with CBS News’s Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, expressed apprehensions about a possible large-scale departure from Cuba, similar to the Mariel boatlift in the past. “I think that, actually, the biggest risk is, that we end up with another Mariel evacuation from Cuba that has tens of thousands of Cubans heading to the United States out of desperation,” Gates said.
According to the National Coast Guard Museum, the Mariel Boatlift was a mass migration in 1980 during which large numbers of people fled Cuba by boat.
“Does it matter to U.S. national security what happens on this island?” he asked.
Gates also underscored the influence of Cuban security personnel in other nations, including Venezuela, and the impact of their actions on U.S. national security and interests.
“They’ve done this in other countries, so they have been involved in ways that have impacted our national security and our interests, in their engagement in other countries, for a long time,” he added.
Cuba Drone Concerns Rise As US Weighs Castro Charges
This warning from Gates comes amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. On Sunday, Axios reported that Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and has discussed potential attacks on the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, U.S. military vessels, and possibly Key West.
The report has heightened concerns within the Trump administration over drone warfare capabilities and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana. CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly traveled to Cuba and warned officials against hostile actions while urging political reforms to ease U.S. sanctions.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department is reportedly considering criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue, which killed four people. Castro, who was Cuba’s defense minister at the time, is alleged to have played a role in the incident.
Last week, Cuba said it has completely run out of oil and diesel, with Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy warning that the country’s power grid is in a critical state amid severe U.S. sanctions and fuel shortages. The crisis has triggered prolonged blackouts across Havana, while officials blamed the shortage on tightened U.S. restrictions and declining fuel imports from allies such as Venezuela.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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