Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, demanded on Friday 13 November that the United States end its economic embargo, and said the island is preparing for a possible US military attack. He spoke at a defence-preparation day in Boyeros, a municipality of Havana, and repeated his message on social media.
The warning follows public remarks by US officials and politicians that Havana says encourage an attack. For US readers, any crisis about 90 miles from Florida bears on migration, travel and Caribbean shipping.
What Havana Said
Díaz-Canel said on Friday 13 November that Cuba “does not attack or threaten any nation” but will reject any foreign military aggression. He called on Washington to end the “genocidal blockade”, which is how Havana describes the US embargo, and to stop the collective punishment of Cubans.
He said recent statements by US officials and politicians encourage a military attack, and that Cuba has therefore activated wartime structures to work in peacetime. He added that the UN General Assembly, the world body’s main forum of all member states, has repeatedly voted against the embargo, which has lasted more than six decades.
The Gran Teatro de La Habana in central Havana. File photo. photo, 2007. The Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso in central Havana, a stage near the festival cinemas. Photo: Brian Snelson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.Why It Matters to US Readers
Díaz-Canel said on 13 November that the recent US statements encourage a military attack, but he did not name a specific US decision or deadline. The risk for Cuba watchers such as airlines, shipping firms and Cuban-American families is a longer period of tension rather than one decision point.
Bettors price an attack as unlikely but not negligible: Polymarket put US military action against Cuba by 31 December at 8.5% on 14 November. That is a bet with about US$7.7 million traded, not an official forecast.
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What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction exchange, priced “US military action against Cuba by 31 December” at 8.5% on Saturday 14 November at about 09:30 Eastern Time, with about US$7.7 million traded. A separate market on a full US invasion of Cuba in 2026 stood at 2.3%, with about US$3.7 million traded.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
Americans with family or business ties to Cuba face a longer period of tension rather than one decision point. Travel rules, remittance channels and flights to Havana are set in Washington and Havana, and we have seen no announced change tied to these statements.
Readers who follow Caribbean risk can read the Cuban message as a signal of posture, not of imminent action. Regional reports say US President Donald Trump spoke about possible military action on Thursday 12 November, but we could not check a transcript.
What Is Not Known
No formal US government reply to Díaz-Canel’s remarks had been published by 14:30 GMT on Saturday 14 November. The Cuban side has not published figures on troops or civilian defence units.
It is also unclear which specific US statements Havana has in mind. Regional reports say US President Donald Trump spoke about possible military action on Thursday 12 November, but we could not check a transcript.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Cuba’s president say?
Miguel Díaz-Canel said on Friday 13 November that the US must end its embargo and the collective punishment of Cubans. He also said Cuba is preparing to reject any foreign military aggression.
Has the US replied?
No formal US reply had been published by 14:30 GMT on 14 November. We will not guess at Washington’s response.
How likely is a US strike, according to bettors?
Polymarket priced US military action against Cuba by 31 December at 8.5% on 14 November. Those prices are bets, not forecasts by officials or polls.
Why does the embargo matter?
The US embargo restricts trade and finance with Cuba and has lasted more than six decades. Havana blames it for shortages, while Washington says it targets the government.
Sources: Cuban government, remarks by Miguel Díaz-Canel in Boyeros, 13 November 2026; Polymarket, US military action against Cuba market, 14 November 2026