Cuba has categorically rejected the information published in the US press on an alleged agreement between China and Havana to establish a spy base on the island. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio described this information as “mendacious and unfounded” in a statement to the media. Cuba also made clear its rejection of any foreign military presence in Latin America and the Caribbean, including US military bases in the region.
According to The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous US sources, an agreement has been reached to install a wiretapping station in Cuba, some 200 kilometers off the coast of Florida, near important US military bases. The newspaper claimed that China would pay Cuba “billions of dollars” to build this facility. The CNN television network also reported this news, citing intelligence sources.
Both the White House and the Pentagon denied the veracity of this information. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that the news was not accurate and that the government is concerned about China’s influence activities around the world. The Pentagon stated that it was not aware of any espionage base developed by China or Cuba and that it constantly monitors relations between the two countries.
In the past, during the Cold War, the Soviets maintained an electronic espionage base in Cuba called Lourdes, near Havana, which was closed in 2001. The possible installation of a Chinese spy base in Cuba off the coast of Florida has generated concern in the United States. Democratic Senator Mark Warner and his Republican colleague Marco Rubio expressed their deep concern about this news and pointed out the need for the United States to respond to China’s actions.
The installation of a Chinese spy base in Cuba, according to some experts, could be interpreted as an unprecedented threat to US security. This comes against a backdrop in which China is expanding its military presence around the world to compete with the US military. President Joe Biden and his administration have been criticized for their approach to China, which has led to tensions in bilateral relations.