US Southern Command Commander Francis Donovan met with Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff, Roberto Legra Sotolongo, near the Guantanamo Bay naval base on May 29, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The meeting focused on operational security and military activities around the sensitive Guantanamo Bay site, with Donovan leading an assessment of base security, troop protection, personnel safety, and readiness [1, 3]. Donovan's team aimed to review the situation around the naval base, a location long disputed and known for its history as a US detention center [4, 5].
Roberto Legra Sotolongo, first deputy minister in the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, and Donovan agreed to maintain communication channels at the military command level after their discussion [2, 6]. The encounter was a rare direct interaction between senior US and Cuban military leaders on Cuban territory [6, 5].
The meeting occurred amid ongoing high tensions between the US and Cuba. The US, under President Donald Trump, has maintained economic and trade embargoes, including an oil blockade, against Cuba [1, 4]. Trump has publicly declared Cuba a key foreign policy focus of his second term after Iran, threatening military action and increasing pressure on the Caribbean island nation [1, 6]. Trump stated, "The next target is Cuba" [1]. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez warned that any US military action would cause "bloodshed leading to thousands of deaths among Cubans and Americans" [7]. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Cuba a "failed state only 90 miles from Florida," reflecting Washington's national security concerns about the island [7].
Earlier in May, US CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a rare visit to Havana, signaling preliminary diplomatic contacts before the military meeting [6, 7]. Around May 27, US military deployments in the Caribbean aimed at Cuba were reportedly completed, though substantive military dialogue remains limited [1, 4].
This meeting follows formal US charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro for murder related to a 1996 plane shootdown, escalating tensions further [6, 7].
The commanders’ agreement on continued military communication signals an attempt to reduce the risk of accidents or misunderstandings at Guantanamo Bay, about 700 kilometers from Miami [4]. The next key scheduled event is to watch for developments in the operational security measures and ongoing communications between the two military commands.
