Is Trump planning govt change in Havana?:US Prez says ‘Cuba op could mirror Venezuela triumph’, eyes ‘property nice shoreline’

US President Donald Trump has reignited debate over Washington’s approach to Cuba after suggesting that a Venezuela-style operation on the island is “possible”. In an interview with The Axios Show, Trump was asked whether a potential US operation in Cuba could resemble the January mission in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump replied with a single word: “Possible.” Remarks on Cuba’s ‘property’ and ‘shoreline’ Trump also highlighted Cuba’s proximity to the United States, noting that the island lies just 90 miles from Florida. He described Cuba as having “nice property” and a “nice shoreline”, while arguing that dealing with Cuba would be easier than confronting challenges in West Asia. Is the US preparing for a regime change in Cuba? The White House has not announced any plans for military intervention in Cuba. However, according to Axios, US officials have developed contingency plans and conducted planning exercises in preparation for possible instability on the island. The report added that while the Trump administration has intensified sanctions on Havana, it has publicly maintained that it prefers a peaceful transition rather than direct military action. Why Cuba is vulnerable now Cuba is facing its worst economic crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the country has been affected by a prolonged economic downturn driven by fuel shortages, a lack of foreign currency and disruptions to food supplies. The decline in subsidised oil imports from Venezuela and the slow recovery of tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic have further strained the economy. The crisis has led to frequent power outages, shortages of food and medicines, and rising migration. According to the BBC, public frustration over deteriorating living conditions also contributed to the rare nationwide protests of July 2021, the largest demonstrations seen in Cuba in decades. Why US and Cuba are at clash for over 40 years? Cuba can be strategically important to the United States because of its location near Florida and its influence over Caribbean trade and security. US involvement began during the 1898 Spanish-American War and later expanded through political influence, military intervention, and economic control. In the Cold War era, Cuba became a major concern for Washington after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 and aligned the country with the Soviet Union. For decades, the US imposed sanctions and isolated Cuba diplomatically, accusing Havana of threatening regional security. Even after the Cold War ended, Cuba remained important because of migration issues, intelligence concerns, and its ties with rivals such as Russia and China.