Hegseth to visit Guantanamo as US puts pressure on Cuba

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to the US military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to "engage with troops", the Pentagon has said.

The visit, announced in a one-sentence statement, comes as Washington ramps up pressure against the country with sanctions and a crippling oil blockade.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly signalled that he wants to topple the communist government in Cuba, linking the move to the strong political support of Cuban-Americans that helped him return to the White House.

In addition to Guantanamo, the Pentagon said Mr Hegseth will also travel to Tampa in Florida, where US Central Command (CENTCOM) is headquartered.

CENTCOM oversees US forces in the Middle East, including operations against Iran.

Late last month, the top US general overseeing operations in Latin America visited Guantanamo, where he met with Cuban military leaders.

The US military said at the time that the meeting by General Francis Donovan was "a brief exchange on operational security matters".

"Gen Donovan also led a perimeter security assessment of the naval base and discussed force protection, safety of service members and their families and operational readiness with base officials," US Southern Command added.

Two weeks earlier, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana and met with Cuban officials.

Guantanamo Bay, 700km southeast of Miami, on the southeastern coast of Cuba, is notorious as the site of abuse against prisoners detained after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.

Mr Trump has also sought to use the base as a holding centre for migrant deportations.

Last month, former Cuban president Raúl Castro was charged in the United States with murder.

The 94-year-old is charged with one count of conspiracy to kill US nationals, four counts of murder and two counts of destruction of aircraft, according to the documents.