US seeks potential new leader for Cuba like Delcy Rodriguez
The Donald Trump administration is looking for a current or former Cuban official who could lead the government in Havana in the event of political changes on the island.
Photo: AP Photo / Ramon Espinosa
As sources among American officials told New York Times, the Donald Trump administration would like to change Cuba's leadership and is looking for a candidate among Cuban civil servants. The discussion is more about recalibrating the regime rather than its complete deconstruction.
The U.S. would like to see someone at the head of Cuba like Delcy Rodriguez, loyal to Washington — the former vice president of Venezuela. She became the interim leader of the country after American troops captured President Nicolás Maduro in January.
However, intelligence services believe that such a scenario would be more difficult to implement in Cuba than in Venezuela, due to a lack of pragmatic officials who would be ready to take power if American troops captured former president Raúl Castro, who retains significant influence over the country's life. Local elites are more similar to Iranian ones and could be significantly more radical, American intelligence services warn.