The Donald Trump administration has set a goal to achieve regime change in Cuba before the end of the year. This marks a major new focus on the island nation. US officials have gained confidence following a recent foreign policy success.
According to the Wall Street Journal, officials familiar with the planning feel emboldened for two key reasons. First, the US military successfully captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. That operation worked largely by flipping someone within Maduro’s inner circle. Second, US officials now believe Cuba’s economy is close to collapse without Maduro guaranteeing oil imports.
