Western Hemisphere Update

Paul E. Vallely MG, US Army (Ret)

&

Thomas McInerney, LTG, USAF (Ret)

We have had the opportunity to examine real-world events over the past few months. The world has changed dramatically, and we have witnessed the transition of world regions and countries. President Trump and the United States is responsible for the majority of these shifts. Globalism and Globalists have taken a back seat to these initiatives. The United States announced murder charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, a major escalation in ​Washington’s pressure campaign against the island’s communist government.

TRUMP ASSERTS US INFLUENCE IN LATIN AMERICA

Washington’s more assertive role in Latin America, epitomized by the capture of Maduro, is shaping up to be a significant part of the legacy of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who is seen as a possible contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.

His chief ‌Republican rival to ⁠succeed Trump, Vice President JD Vance, is a former Marine who has long argued against U.S. entanglements in foreign wars. Under Trump, the U.S. has effectively imposed a blockade on Cuba by threatening sanctions on countries supplying it with fuel, triggering power outages and exacerbating its worst crisis in decades.

Earlier on Wednesday, Rubio offered Cuba $100 million in aid and blamed Cuba’s leaders for shortages of electricity, food, and fuel. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called that offer cynical, citing the “devastating effect” of the economic blockade.

The indictment marks a new low in relations between the longtime Cold War rivals and comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for regime change in Cuba, where Castro’s communists ‌have been in charge since his late brother Fidel Castro led a revolution in 1959. The charges against Castro and five fighter pilots in the Cuban military stem from a 1996 incident in which Cuban jets shot down planes operated by a group of Cuban exiles.

Raúl Castro, 94, was charged with one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft. He appeared in public in Cuba earlier this month, and there is no evidence he has left the island or that he ​will be extradited.

It is rare for the U.S. to file criminal charges against foreign leaders. The indictment was the latest example of the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to expand U.S. influence in the ​Western Hemisphere. “From the shores of Havana to the banks of the Panama Canal, we will drive out the forces of lawlessness and crime and foreign encroachment,” Trump said ⁠at a Coast Guard Academy event in New London, Connecticut, earlier on Wednesday.

Speaking at a ceremony in Miami to honor the victims of the 1996 incident, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche did not directly answer questions about ​whether the U.S. military would arrest Castro. Blanche said he expected Castro to face the charges one day. “There was a warrant issued for his arrest, so we expect that he will show up here by his own will or ​by another way,” Blanche said to applause in a packed auditorium of government officials and Cuban Americans. In a post on X, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Cuba had acted legitimately to defend its territory in shooting down the planes. He said the indictment appeared to be intended to justify military action against Cuba, which he said would be a mistake.

“It is a political maneuver, devoid of any legal foundation,” Diaz-Canel said. Diaz-Canel said on Monday that the island does not represent a threat. The charges come months after the U.S. ​capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3 to face drug trafficking charges in New York. Maduro, a socialist aligned with Havana, pleaded not guilty.

Look at the changes in the Western Hemisphere from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The changes in Europe and the Middle East are mindboggling. The strike on Iran has now changed the Middle East forever and into a future of hope for peace and prosperity. Looking more closely at the Western Hemisphere, we see opportunities for countries like Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia. Eliminating the Cartels and the manufacturing and distribution of deadly drugs are critical to a more civil and healthy society. In this article, we focus on Cuba and its future. We envision a possible Commonwealth or Territory of the United States, much like Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and is a self-governing and unincorporated territory of the United States.

There are choices for the Cuban people regarding their future. Remain poor under a communist system or accept a future of a democratic, free society. There is a great opportunity for Cubans to join the United States and experience a bright future.

President Trump is moving swiftly to restore the integrity of the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine was articulated in President James Monroe’s seventh annual message to Congress on December 2, 1823. The European powers, according to Monroe, were obligated to respect the Western Hemisphere as the United States’ sphere of interest. We now call this the Donroe Doctrine to securing the Western Hemisphere.

The Western Hemisphere must be aligned to protect the area and countries from the influence of China (CCP), radical Islam, and communism. We must protect borders, essential and rare minerals, trade routes, and mutual trade. It is recommended that initiatives be pursued to engage Cuba to be a new territory of the United States as Puerto Rico is. The Panama Canal should be managed by the United States and Panama. Greenland should also become a US territory. The material treasures of the Western Hemisphere must be protected.