A group of more than 30 Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives demanded President Donald Trump abandon any plan of military action against Cuba and desist from the use of the Guantánamo Bay naval base as a detention center for Cuban migrants.

The pressure was expressed in a letter sent to the Secretaries of Defense, Pete Hegseth; of State, Marco Rubio; and of National Security, Markwayne Mullin. The initiation ativa was led by Congresswoman Delia Ramírez and backed by progressive legislators like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Greg Casar.

The representatives reacted to recent statements from General Francis L.Donovan, head of the United States Southern Command, who reported to Congress that there is an executive order to support ar to the Department of National Security in the case of a massive migratory flow from Cuba. As explained, Guantánamo could be used to install temporary detention camps for migrants.

The democrats described this possibility as “alarming and unacceptable”, arguing that the military base has a history of abuses of human rights since the called war against terrorism after the 9/11 attacks.

Legislators denounce history of abuses in Guantanamo

In the letter, the congressmen recalled that since 2002 the Guantánamo prison became a symbol of indefinite detentions, torture and ill-treatment denounced by international organizations, including evaluations by the United Nations Organization.

“Extending that model towards Cuban migrants would be repeating a pattern of abuses,” said the legislators, who also linked the current migration crisis on the island with decades of U.S. economic sanctions.

Democrats noted that the tightening of measures during Trump's first term aggravated the economic situation in C uba and accelerated the massive exit of citizens. According to the letter, more than a million Cubans left the island between 2022 and 2023.

They warned that any US military intervention would cause an “illegal, destabilizing and catastrophic” scenario for the Cuban population and for regional stability.

They ask to suspend operations and lift sanctions

In addition to rejecting a possible military attack, legislators demanded canceling any transfer of migrants to Guantanamo and suspending the so-called “Operation Southern Guard”, promoted by the Trump Administration as part of its immigration strategy.

The letter also requests lifting economic sanctions and restrictions related to fuel and trade, considering that those policies contribute to humanitarian deterioration and forced migration.

Meanwhile, the Cuban government reacted harshly to recent statements by U.S. officials. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Par rilla warned that a military aggression by Washington would cause a “humanitarian catastrophe” and a “bloodbath” with consequences for both countries.

The controversy increases at moments when the White House maintains a more aggressive discourse towards Havana and revives the political debate on the future of Guantánamo, a facility that for years has been the subject of international criticism for violations of human rights.