Cuba in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
Cuba's politics in May 2026 were dominated by the United States indicting Raul Castro, the country's former president. After reports from May 15 that an indictment was coming, the US Justice Department filed charges in Washington on May 21, including drug trafficking, murder and supporting terrorism. The murder charge relates to a 1996 shootdown of aircraft. It was the first time a former head of state has been charged in a US court over actions taken in office. Cuba expressed outrage and said it wants to negotiate but does not trust the US. On May 29 the Justice Department said it would do everything possible to bring Castro to the United States.
The indictment came amid escalating rhetoric from Washington. On May 2, President Donald Trump said the US could take control of Cuba almost immediately, and new sanctions followed. On May 22, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled possible military action, with Rubio doubting that diplomacy would succeed. Rubio later called Cuba a failed state and a threat to US national security. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned on May 18 that any US military action would bring a bloodbath, invoked the right to self-defense, and said Washington was building a fraudulent case to justify an invasion. The US in turn accused Cuba of planning an attack on Guantanamo.
Contacts continued alongside the threats. Trump said on May 12 that talks with Cuba would begin and that Cuba had asked for his help. The US renewed an offer of 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid, which Cuba was reported to be considering. Cuba said the CIA director visited Havana and met senior officials, including a grandson of Raul Castro. On May 29 and 30, a US general met senior Cuban military officials near the Guantanamo Bay base, described as a rare direct contact between the two armed forces.
Other governments took positions. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexico would keep sending aid, and Mexico and Uruguay delivered humanitarian supplies. Russia said it would support Cuba, and China pledged support against what it called bullying.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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