Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned that mounting instability in Cuba could trigger a mass migration crisis to the United States similar to the 1980 Mariel boatlift, amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Havana’s communist regime.
Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Gates described the greatest threat posed by Cuba as not an imminent military confrontation but rather the potential for a political collapse that could send tens of thousands of migrants toward America in desperation.
“I think that, actually, the biggest risk is that we end up with another Mariel evacuation from Cuba that has tens of thousands of Cubans heading to the United States out of desperation,” Gates said.
The 1980 Mariel boatlift saw approximately 125,000 Cubans flee the island for the U.S. during a period of severe economic hardship and political unrest under former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Gates’ comments come as President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Cuba, including threats of possible military action if Havana refuses to adopt reforms sought by Washington. The Trump administration has also increased economic pressure on the island, including measures targeting its fuel supplies.
Cuban officials reported Friday that the country has run out of oil and diesel amid a worsening humanitarian and economic crisis.
Gates pointed to Cuba’s role in providing security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, stating: “The Cubans have had a lot of security people in Venezuela. They formed the security cordon around Maduro. He didn’t trust his own people.” Gates added that Cuban operatives have been involved in other countries “for a long time.”
Cuban officials have rejected U.S. pressure campaigns and blamed American sanctions and restrictions for the island’s deteriorating conditions.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel recently described the longstanding U.S. blockade on Cuba as “genocidal,” accusing Washington of deliberately inflicting suffering on the Cuban population.
