America First Policy Institute proposes Caribbean military presence to counter Cuba

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released a report titled ‘The Dictatorship Next Door: Cuba and the Struggle for the Western Hemisphere,’ outlining 12 policy recommendations for the Trump administration. The report, authored by Melissa Ford Maldonado, characterizes Cuba as a direct threat to U.S. national security due to its strategic location and deepening ties with China, Russia, and Iran.

Key proposals include establishing a permanent U.S. military presence in the Caribbean through expanded access agreements and cooperative security locations with regional partners, rather than building large new bases. The institute also recommends increasing economic pressure by designating entities such as the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and the GAESA conglomerate as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).

Additionally, the report calls for a modernized information offensive to counter the Cuban government’s ‘information monopoly,’ suggesting a digital-first approach to bypass censorship. Meanwhile, Cuban officials have responded to the ongoing U.S. blockade, with Vice Minister Déborah Rivas Saavedra describing the economic situation as a ‘genocide’ while noting that recent economic reforms aim to foster growth while maintaining social justice.