Overview
- Reuters found pride and resolve at the Bay of Pigs, with veterans saying they would take up arms again and younger residents describing hardship and doubt.
- Trump has threatened to "take" Cuba, and U.S. outlets report the Pentagon is drafting military options as pressure grows for a deal.
- Díaz-Canel said Cuba does not want war but would wage irregular warfare if attacked, and the country is holding weekly "National Defense Days" drills.
- Cuba requires military training beginning at 18 under a doctrine that assigns every citizen a defense role, yet the armed forces’ true readiness and resources remain unknown to outsiders.
- Official data show the population fell by more than 1.4 million since 2020 due largely to youth migration, reducing the pool of potential recruits and reshaping daily life in struggling communities.