Cuba Roundup: Warships, politics, foreign visits, bilateral ties

Foreign visits

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz arrived in Tehran with a delegation to attend the inauguration of Iran's new President, Masoud Pezeshkian. Tehran Times reports that this is Marrero's first visit to Iran and he will be attending the inauguration ceremony at the Iranian parliament on Tuesday.

Cuban politics

The Cuban government is attempting to influence local races in the 2024 election by targeting political candidates hostile to the regime in Havana, according to a U.S. intelligence official. This effort follows similar attempts to affect midterm elections in Florida in 2022, the Miami Herald reports. While the Cuban influence operations are smaller in scale compared to those by Russia, China, and Iran, they are still a cause for concern.

Cuba congratulates Venezuelan president

Cuban president congratulates Nicolas Maduro on his historic election victory. He praised the Venezuelan people for their courage and reaffirmed Cuba's solidarity with the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution. Maduro won the election with 51.20 percent of the vote, Prensa Latina reports.

Cuba, Iran bilateral ties

Iran and Cuba discuss the potential for economic and political cooperation, including support for Palestine against Israeli actions. Both countries express interest in strengthening bilateral relations and holding a joint commission meeting later this year. According to Mehr News Agency, Cuba also expresses support for pursuing Israeli crimes in the international court.

Russian warships arrive in Cuba

Three Russian warships have arrived in Cuban waters, reflecting deepening ties between Russia and Cuba. CBS News reports that this is Moscow's second such maritime voyage in as many months.