Lee Schlenker

Whatever trajectory ultimately emerges in Venezuela after the Trump administration’s bombing of Caracas and brazen abduction of Maduro, Washington is once again deeply involved in reshaping a foreign country without a coherent plan, @AdamNoahWho and I write for @ForeignPolicy. 🧵

“Unlike the run-up to the U.S. commando raid in January that seized Maduro, these surveillance flights were meant to bolster the political and economic pressure campaign on Cuban leaders rather than foreshadow a U.S. military operation on the island.”nytimes.com/2026/05/13/wor…

Cuba will announce new, variable fuel prices at the pump from May 15 to better reflect the ‘actual’ costs of importing gas and diesel amid an ongoing US fuel blockade, the Ministry of Finance and Prices said reut.rs/4u6sYzX

“U.S. policies have deliberately targeted Cuban civilians & contributed to their displacement...Planning for their detention at Guantánamo is not a response to migration; it is an attempt to contain the consequences of the policies that are driving it.” theguardian.com/us-news/2026/m…

"@GAC_Corporate declined to answer whether Ottawa believes US sanctions are responsible for #Cuba's crisis. Canada’s longstanding position is that 'dialogue, respect for international law & peaceful engagement are essential to addressing complex situations"canadianaffairs.news/2026/05/12/can…

Congress should pass @RepGregoryMeeks and @RepJayapal's bill to prevent Trump from using any federal funding to use military force against Cuba: x.com/HouseForeign/s…

Respecto a la versión difundida por CNN sobre una explosión ocurrida en Tecámac, Estado de México, en la que se señala una presunta participación de la CIA en operaciones contra cárteles, el Gobierno de México rechaza categóricamente cualquier versión que pretenda normalizar, justificar o sugerir la existencia de operaciones letales, encubiertas o unilaterales de agencias extranjeras en territorio nacional. La cooperación con Estados Unidos existe, es importante y ha dado resultados relevantes para ambos países; sin embargo, ésta se realiza bajo principios claros: respeto a la soberanía, responsabilidad compartida, confianza mutua y cooperación sin subordinación. Bajo estos principios, ambos gobiernos han logrado avances importantes en el combate al crimen organizado transnacional, entre ellos detenciones de objetivos relevantes, aseguramientos de droga, armas, precursores químicos, laboratorios clandestinos, recursos financieros y bienes vinculados a estructuras criminales. Estos resultados demuestran que la colaboración bilateral puede ser efectiva cuando se conduce por canales institucionales, con intercambio de información y pleno respeto al marco legal de cada país. En México, las acciones operativas corresponden exclusivamente a las autoridades mexicanas competentes. Cualquier cooperación internacional se limita al intercambio de información, coordinación institucional y mecanismos formales establecidos por el Gobierno de México, particularmente a través de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores y las instituciones del Gabinete de Seguridad.

A thorough run-down of the state of play.

For now, the Trump administration appears set on crippling Cuba’s economy through sweeping secondary sanctions while dangling vague, heavily conditioned humanitarian aid to pressure Havana into political and economic concessions, writes @lee_schlenker: responsiblestatecraft.org/rubio-sanction…

@JuanitaVelezF Hay que mejorar los datos para medir ciertos indicadores, como la minería ilegal, la deforestación, etc. También para medir el grado de relacionamiento de los GAO en Colombia con otros GAO en otros países, para entender el fenómeno.

"Trump has not been formally presented with military options, no plans have been approved & no forces have been repositioned or deployed near #Cuba...there is limited appetite right now among some within the Trump admin for US military intervention in Cuba"nbcnews.com/politics/white…

Senate Republicans warn Trump against Cuba military attack thehill.com/homenews/senat…

"Yet even absent military action—which Trump officials say is still on the table—the admin seemingly has no reservations about levying increasingly severe sanctions against Cuba’s foreign partners until Havana capitulates to demands for sweeping political/economic liberalization"

NEW @lee_schlenker @QuincyInst Despite talk of agreements, the Trump policy now appears bent on breaking the island while disingenuously offering it 'aid' responsiblestatecraft.org/rubio-sanction…

“The biggest obstacle to improving the daily lives of Cubans continues to be the US’ outdated, Cold War-era policy of economic coercion and military pressure, whose only upshot has been isolation and suffering for the Cuban people” @RepJayapal @rep_jackson nytimes.com/2026/05/11/opi…

US intelligence-gathering flights are surging off Cuba, following a pattern similar to lead up to military operations in Iran and Venezuela.

“The May 1 executive order and the new designations announced May 7 significantly expand the legal authority through which the U.S. government can levy sanctions on third-country nationals and firms” operating in #Cuba, I told @ARodriguezAP. thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap…

(An aside: for all the good work it goes, hard to see how Cuban Catholic Church has infrastructure on its own to handle that volume of aid. So what was the concrete proposal made? Aid to whom? Under what conditions?)

Atención: El Gobierno del presidente @petrogustavo pidió a la @FiscaliaCol suspender las órdenes de captura incluyendo las que implican solicitudes de extradición a 29 integrantes del Clan del Golfo, incluyendo a su máximo cabecilla, alias “Chiquito Malo”, para facilitar su traslado a las zonas de Ubicación temporal el próximo 25 de junio. Vía @BluRadioCo

Los riesgos para la vida de las personas no son retóricos. Son inmediatos y crecientes, especialmente para los más vulnerables. Proteger a grupos vulnerables requiere energía: embarazadas, niños, adultos mayores y pacientes crónicos. La solidaridad no es opcional, es urgente🌍

US issues new Cuba sanctions as UN experts warn of ‘energy starvation’ aje.news/574qzi