President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have intensified their efforts to apply pressure on the Cuban government. This development is part of a wider strategy by the Trump administration aimed at challenging the Cuban leadership. On Wednesday, the Justice Department revealed an indictment against Raúl Castro, the former president of Cuba, and five others, charging them with murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens.

Since returning to office, President Trump’s ambitions have included expanding U.S. territory and removing leaders he opposes. After a successful military intervention in Venezuela and ongoing attempts to secure territories such as Greenland and the Panama Canal, Cuba has emerged as his next area of focus.

Trump’s interest in Cuba is not new. Trump Organization executives explored the possibility of a golf course in Cuba in 2011 and 2012. In 2016, while campaigning for the presidency, Trump remarked that Cuba presented a good investment opportunity. Despite his recent criticisms of Cuba as a “failed nation,” he continues to acknowledge its strategic benefits.

In March, Trump praised Cuba’s tourism potential and favorable climate, describing it as a “beautiful island” with “great weather.” Following the announcement of charges against Castro, Trump stated that he did not intend to escalate the situation in Cuba. He expressed skepticism about further escalation, commenting on the country’s deteriorating conditions and claiming that the Cuban authorities had “lost control.”