Cuban Protests Erupt in Havana as DOJ Considers Indictments

Every time I write an article about Cuba, something new happens shortly after I publish it. Under Donald Trump, it's just that kind of year. Here's the latest. And, of course, I feel as if should point out that all of this is coming from "officials familiar with" the matter, which is a fancy way of saying anonymous sources, so we can't verify if it's true. That said, I did see some members of Congress post the article on their X accounts today, so that could be a confirmation. On matters such as this, I prefer to hear from the Donald Trump administration, but this one seems plausible. 

Okay, onto the story. If we're to believe the Washington Post's sources, the Justice Department (DOJ) has "formed a working group to examine possible federal charges against officials or entities within Cuba’s government." They're allegedly focused on crimes ranging from economics to immigration. 

If they're successful, it could help with that "friendly takeover" of Cuba our president keeps talking about. The DOJ has also included members of the Treasury Department, which means they could be considering new sanctions, as well, though I'm not sure what's left to sanction. Other government agencies are said to be involved.  

The Post also claims that Florida prosecutors are working to bring state charges against various members of the regime, an effort which the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida is overseeing. It has a history of handling high-profile cases related to Cuba, including "the conviction of Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. diplomat admitted to gathering intelligence for Cuba for more than four decades while holding sensitive roles in the U.S. State Department and National Security Council."

The thinking is that with indictments, members of the Cuban regime who refuse to cooperate with the U.S. takeover could face the same fate as Nicolás Maduro — finding themselves with a standing reservation at a federal detention center. 

As I mentioned earlier this week, Trump said that there are members of the regime who are "desperate," and begging him and Marco Rubio to make a deal, but many sources say that the Castro hand-picked "president," Miguel Díaz-Canel, is the holdout, and that's causing a lot of issues. Rubio is reportedly in talks with some lower-tier members of the regime who realize that things can't get much worse for the island nation, as well as with Raúl Castro's grandson.  

On Thursday, Díaz-Canel made an unusual televised speech, suggesting he'd be willing to talk to the United States, but as equal partners working toward something that would benefit both countries. He gave no indication that he's willing to give up his post or make any concessions. He called it a "civilized relationship between neighbors," but I think that moment has passed.

In February, several members of Congress urged the DOJ to bring charges against the 94-year-old Castro for the Brothers to the Rescue incident in 1996. At that time, a nonprofit group from Miami was flying two civilian planes in international airspace when Castro ordered them to be shot down, killing the four men on board. The group would often fly over Cuba, dropping anti-regime leaflets and helping rescue Cubans who were attempting to flee the country by raft. 

Whether this story is true or not, Trump and Rubio seem determined to topple the Cuban regime ASAP. On Thursday, Trump told Rubio at a White House event that this would be his next project, but that they'd wait a few weeks to get Iran under control first. On Friday, Trump told CNN that "Cuba will fall soon" and that he'd be sending Rubio there. Whether he meant literally physically sending him or just letting him handle the negotiations remains to be seen.  

As I'm writing this on Friday night, protests are breaking out across Cuba. You can't really tell much from the videos, but it is happening. Much of the country has gone without power for several days, and the people are over it. 

🚨#SOSCuba The people of #Cuba are on the streets demanding freedom!!! This moment is incredible! 🇺🇸🇨🇺

— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) March 7, 2026

These are said to be in Havana. 

#URGENTE 🔴Protesta en el Vedado, La Habana, luego de varios días sin electricidad pic.twitter.com/IT6C2YDIo9

— Mario J. Pentón (@MarioJPenton) March 7, 2026

🇨🇺‼️ | ÚLTIMA HORA — Reportan protestas en varias zonas de La Habana, Cuba en contra del régimen, los continuos apagones y la crisis generada por 67 años de comunismo. pic.twitter.com/LyJ1QBVTat

— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) March 7, 2026

🚨AHORA MISMO: Protesta con toque de cazuelas en Centro Habana tras 12 horas de apagón 🌑 pic.twitter.com/1nY7aoTtYT

— Cubanet 🇨🇺 (@CubanetNoticias) March 7, 2026

People are banging pots and pans and shouting "Down with Communism."   

⚠️⚠️#Ahora. Fuerte cacerolazo y gritos de “Abajo el comunismo” en el barrio Jesús María, La Habana.

La protesta se extiende por varios puntos de la capital y el interior del país. pic.twitter.com/Xj7eOvgfiY

— Mag Jorge Castro🇨🇺 (@MagJorgeCastro) March 7, 2026

I have a feeling they'll get their wish soon. 

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