---
title: "Weapons in the hands of citizens: Cuba prepares for a US invasion amid an oil embargo"
description: "Cuba has begun distributing weapons to civilians amid the threat of a US invasion. An aircraft carrier group is concentrated in the region, while Havana is preparing partisan units. 🚨🇨🇺🇺🇸"
date: 2026-06-07T19:55:17.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/weapons-in-the-hands-of-citizens-cuba-prepares-for-a-us-invasion-amid-an-oil-embargo
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Weapons in the hands of citizens: Cuba prepares for a US invasion amid an oil embargo

![Symbolic sign of Cuba with a red flag and star against a clear sky, symbolizing the country's readiness to defend itself from external threats.](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/07/kuba-razdacha-oruzhiya-ugroza-vtorzheniya-ssha/kuba-razdacha-oruzhiya-ugroza-vtorzheniya-ssha-1.webp)

Tensions in the Caribbean have reached unprecedented levels. Fearing a foreign invasion, Cuban authorities have begun mass distribution of weapons to the civilian population. Official Havana is calling on citizens to prepare for defense, while Washington is increasing its military presence off the island's shores.

### Population mobilization and the Castro plan

The government of President Miguel Díaz-Canel has revived the defense plan from the era of Fidel Castro. As part of the formation of territorial defense units, the civilian population is being trained in guerrilla warfare tactics. Due to a shortage of modern weaponry, citizens are being issued Soviet-made rifles. Military reservists and civil defense structures have been brought to maximum readiness.

CNN correspondent in Havana, Patrick Oppmann, confirmed that the leadership of state institutions is already conducting briefings with employees and tenants. The topics of the sessions include logistics and the functioning of buildings in the event of martial law.

### Causes of escalation: embargo and spy scandals

The situation in the region deteriorated sharply in January 2026. The trigger was the introduction of a strict oil embargo by the US, which paralyzed Cuba's energy system. The island faced an internal economic crisis, food shortages, and multi-hour power outages.

An additional factor in the escalation was the leak of US intelligence data. According to them, Havana is purchasing combat drones from Russia and Iran, as well as planning an attack on the US military base in Guantanamo. The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected these accusations, calling them a fake and a pretext for foreign aggression.

### Washington's military response

The US has not ruled out the use of force. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assessed the situation harshly, calling Cuba a "failed state" representing a threat to US national security. At the same time, he evaded answering questions about the exact scale of planned military measures.

According to POLITICO, the Pentagon has been concentrating forces in the region for several months. An aircraft carrier strike group led by the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, as well as amphibious ships with Marine units, has been sent to the Cuban coast. The White House is considering scenarios ranging from targeted missile strikes to a forcible regime change.

At the time of publication, no official comments had been received from the US Department of Defense and the National Security Council regarding the timing of the possible operation.