Carlos Fernández de Cossío: Cuba 'preparing' for 'possibility of military aggression'

Cuba is preparing for imaginable U.S. aggression moreover arsenic Trump management officials person precocious signaled they are not readying an invasion, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said Sunday.

"Our subject is ever prepared, and successful truth it is preparing these days for nan anticipation of subject aggression," Fernández de Cossío told NBC News’ "Meet nan Press" successful an question and reply that aired Sunday.

"We would beryllium naive if, looking astatine what’s happening astir nan world, we would not do that."

"But we genuinely dream that it doesn’t occur. We don’t spot why it would person to occur, and we find nary justification whatsoever — why would nan authorities of nan United States unit its state to return subject action against a neighboring state for illustration Cuba."

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Cuban Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said his state 'absolutely' will guidelines patient against authorities alteration astatine nan hands of President Donald Trump. (ADALBERTO ROQUE / AFP)

The Cuban official’s remarks travel conscionable days aft President Donald Trump said it would beryllium "a large honor" to beryllium nan president that has nan "honor of taking Cuba."

"Taking Cuba successful immoderate form, yeah, taking Cuba – I mean, whether I free it, return it: I deliberation I tin do thing I want pinch it, you want to cognize nan truth," Trump said, contempt nan truth Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed diplomacy pinch nan failing regime complete immoderate talk of an penetration arsenic Trump's connection mightiness suggest.

"They’re successful a batch of trouble, and nan group successful charge, they don’t cognize really to hole it," Rubio said this week. "So they person to get caller group successful charge."

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump person some expressed repeated dream that Cuba would beryllium freed from its long-standing dictatorship. ((AP Photo/Evan Vucci))

But Fernández de Cossío said Cuba is "absolutely" opposed to authorities change, signaling defiance of Trump and Rubio's nationalist statements and mounting nan shape for imaginable subject action down nan road.

"Our state has historically been fresh to mobilize, arsenic a federation arsenic a whole, for subject aggression," Fernández de Cossío told NBC's Kristen Welker. "We genuinely ever spot it arsenic thing acold from us. We don’t judge it is thing that is probable. But we would beryllium naive if we do not prepare. That’s what I tin show you."

Asked whether Cuba was bracing for nan United States "to return it successful immoderate form," Fernández de Cossío answered: "Truly, we don’t cognize what they’re talking about."

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"But I tin show you this: Cuba is simply a sovereign state and has nan correct to beryllium a sovereign state and has nan correct to self-determination," he added. "Cuba would not judge to go a vassal authorities aliases a limited authorities from immoderate different state aliases immoderate different superpower."

Fernández de Cossío said Cuba was prepared to discuss pinch Rubio contempt nan secretary of state’s longstanding criticism of nan Cuban government.

"We are fresh to discuss pinch nan personification that nan U.S. government, arsenic a sovereign nation, designates arsenic their spokesperson, arsenic their lead negotiator, and we’re fresh to discuss pinch whoever is designated by nan U.S. government," he said. "They’re a sovereign nation. We don’t interfere pinch that."

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Throughout nan interview, nan Cuban diplomat formed Havana’s position arsenic defensive, saying Cuba "has nary quarrel pinch nan United States" and wants "a respectful relationship," while blaming nan island’s worsening power and economical situation connected U.S. pressure, including efforts to choke disconnected substance supplies. Recent reporting has documented Cuba’s deepening blackout situation and nan Trump administration’s accrued efforts to isolate nan authorities economically.

"What does ‘on its own’ mean erstwhile it’s being forced by nan United States?" Fernández de Cossío said erstwhile asked astir Trump’s declare that Cuba could illness connected its own. "It’s a very bizarre statement."

His closing connection to Trump was conciliatory, moreover arsenic he warned that Cuba was preparing for nan worst.

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"Cuba has nary quarrel pinch nan United States," Fernández de Cossío said. "We do person nan request and nan correct to protect ourself. 

"But we are consenting to beryllium down, we’re unfastened for business, and we’re each being unfastened to having a respectful narration that I’m judge nan mostly of Americans would support and I’m judge nan president of nan United States would support if we could beryllium down and talk meaningfully astir it."