HAVANA (AP) 鈥� Cubans hunched over tables this month to sign up for the socialist government鈥檚 campaign to support national sovereignty and defy the U.S. as tensions between the countries escalate.
They are endorsing 鈥淢y signature for the Homeland鈥� movement, which President launched earlier this month.
The initiative is mocked by some who question why people stood in line to sign when are growing across the island, while supporters say it serves as a warning to the U.S. that civilians want peace but will not back down despite recent threats of invasion.
鈥淎nything for the revolution,鈥� said Rodolfo Ruiz, 64, who sells sunglasses and other items out of his home in Havana. He said he signed last week because of President Donald Trump鈥檚 ongoing comments over Cuba, 鈥渟o that he may hear and know that we are willing to defend our sovereignty.鈥�
鈥淲atch out, Trump. Think before you invade Cuba, think carefully. The people are prepared,鈥� Ruiz said.
In January, signed an executive order asserting that the 鈥減olicies, practices, and actions of the Government of Cuba constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat,鈥� something Cuban officials have repeatedly scoffed at.
Trump has referred to the island as a 鈥渇ailing nation鈥� and suggested a 鈥渇riendly takeover.鈥�
鈥淲e may stop by Cuba after we鈥檙e finished with this,鈥� he said in mid-April, referring to the war in Iran.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio 鈥� the son of Cuban immigrants who fled before the revolution 鈥� of Cuba.
鈥淚t is absurd for the State Department to claim that Cuba 鈥� a relatively small, developing country subjected to a brutal economic war 鈥� could pose a threat to the world鈥檚 greatest military, technological, and economic power,鈥� Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodr铆guez wrote in a post on X on Wednesday.
D铆az-Canel has said he does not want military aggression, but noted that Cuba has a duty to prepare to avoid it, and if necessary, defeat it.
Havana resident Delfina Hern谩ndez said she would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Cubans to fight , a sharpening of longtime U.S. sanctions and what many refer to as the 鈥渋mperialist threat.鈥�
For three days last week, the community center she runs in Havana with her husband received sheets of paper and opened its doors so people over age 16 could sign them. Hern谩ndez was the first to do so.
鈥淐uba is something very sacred to us,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are well-armed, and the people of Cuba will fight to the very end. We are going to hit them 鈥� and with everything we鈥檝e got.鈥�
Criticism was swift on social media, though, with opponents of the campaign asserting that the 鈥渉omeland鈥� has not provided them with anything. Some said the government should allow people to sign in favor of things like the ability to choose their president.
The homeland initiative began on April 19 and comes as Cuba celebrates the over some 1,500 Cuban exiles backed by the CIA who failed in their attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro鈥檚 newly formed Communist government.
Alberto Olivera, a visual artist and Hern谩ndez鈥檚 husband, questioned how Cuba poses a threat to the U.S.
鈥淚f it鈥檚 a failed revolution, then leave us alone,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat do they care?鈥� Hern谩ndez added.
Olivera recognized that Cubans have unmet needs, adding that he has been hungry at times, but asserted that the 鈥減ressure cooker鈥� tactic by the U.S. would not work.
鈥淚f I鈥檓 a failed state, why are you seeking me out?鈥� he asked.
The Trump administration has demanded that Cuba release political prisoners, implement major economic reforms and change its way of governance 鈥� all things Cuba has rejected, saying it鈥檚 open to dialogue and cooperation in certain areas as it pushes for the end of a U.S. energy blockade that has .
Both countries , although details remain secret.
As tensions persist, Cuba鈥檚 government is gathering signatures at workplaces and neighborhoos across the island of nearly 10 million people, remaining mum on how many it has collected.
It said in a statement that the signatures are meant to condemn 鈥渢he U.S. blockade and economic war against Cuba,鈥� which it called a 鈥済enocidal act,鈥� and to repudiate threats of military aggression while upholding 鈥渢he inalienable right of Cubans to live in peace.鈥�
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