Prominent Cuban Dissident Says Havana Regime Expects An Attack From The U.S. By Next Week

A prominent Cuban dissident said the Havana regime expects an attack from the U.S. by next week and top officials are taking their families to bunkers across the country.

In a social media publication, Jose Daniel Ferrer said the information came from a "friend who has relations with officials of the Castro-communist regime."

The source added that the regime intends to release the "less problematic" political prisoners but keep the "most problematic ones" behind bars to prevent them from rousing their compatriots.

"I'm being told that, at least in the short term, those in power are not thinking about negotiating with the U.S. and cede to the opposition and the people's growing demands," he added.

"My conclusion: WE NEED TO KEEP FIGHTING WITH INCREASED STRENGTH AND THE U.S. MUST INCREASE PRESSURE AS WELL. CANADA, THE U.S.'S ALLIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND EUROPE, AND EVEN IN ASIA, MUST DO IT TOO. NO MORE IMPUNITY FOR A CRIMINAL REGIME AND AN ENEMY OF THE WEST," he concluded.

However, a recent report from CBS News stands in contrast with Ferrer's claim. It claimed that the Trump administration is not seeking to catalyze the collapse of the Cuban regime, but rather negotiate a transition away from its authoritarian communist system.

The outlet added that despite President Donald Trump's announcement this weekend that "there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba," his administration intends to allow Mexico to continue providing oil to the island.

Havana's reliance on Mexico's shipments has increased significantly since the capture of Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. As the Trump administration asserts control over the Caracas regime, supplies from the South American country appear to have stopped.

However, Havana has struck a defiant tone, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel recently saying the country is not holding talks with the U.S. except on some migratory issues.

The comment appear to be a response to a remark by Trump, who said during the weekend that the U.S. was "talking to Cuba."

Diaz-Canel also responded on social media, saying that "those who hysterically drain against our nation do so sick with rage due to the people's sovereign decision to choose their political model."

"Those who blame the Revolution for the severe economic issues we are dealing with should shut up in shame. Because they know and recognize they are a result of draconian measures of extreme asphyxiation that U.S. exerts going back six decades and threatens to increase now," he added.

"Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign nation. No one tells us what to do. Cuba doesn't attack, it's attacked by the U.S. going back 66 years and it doesn't make threats, it gets ready, willing to defend the Homeland until the last drop of blood."

Originally published on Latin Times