US spy plane flights near Cuba have increased significantly over the past three months, mirroring the pattern seen before the operation to remove Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela, according to a CNN analysis of publicly available aviation data.
At least 25 flights by Navy and Air Force aircraft and drones have been tracked along the Cuban coast since 4 February. The aircraft involved are mostly P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes, along with RC-135V Rivet Joints and MQ-4C Triton high-altitude reconnaissance drones. The flights were recorded near Havana and Santiago de Cuba, some coming within 40 miles of land.
The surge in flights coincides with President Donald Trump's repeated statements about taking over Cuba. On 19 January, he reposted a Fox News clip predicting a 'free Havana' before the end of his second term. Trump later imposed an oil blockade on Cuba, exacerbating an energy crisis that led to a collapse of the electrical grid, leaving hospitals unable to provide basic care and schools closed.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a long-time advocate for regime change in Cuba, described the island as a 'failed state' run by 'incompetent communists'. Speaking at a diplomatic conference in late February, he said Cuba's status quo is unacceptable and that the country needs to change.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the US actions as 'contemptible yet curious and ridiculous', calling them an act of 'economic warfare'. The Trump administration has introduced new sanctions, stating they are designed to punish a regime that aligns itself with countries hostile to the United States.
