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Cuba to hold nationwide drills to confront 'enemy actions'

Wednesday, 09 November 2016 5:24 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 09 November 2016 6:00 PM ]

The file photo shows Cuban soldiers during a parade.

Cuba has announced the start of nationwide military exercises to prepare its forces to confront "a range of enemy actions" in the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election.

The government, however, did not link the drills to Trump's election victory. The US president-elect has vowed to undo President Barack Obama's moves to reach out to Cuba.

Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces said in the country's main newspaper Granma on Wednesday that the army, the interior ministry and other forces would be taking part in the maneuvers from November 16 to 20.

The revolutionary forces also warned citizens that the exercises would include "movements of troops and war materiel, overflights and explosions in the cases where they're required."

The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and placed an official embargo against the country in 1962.

The two countries became ideological foes soon after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in Cuba and their ties remained hostile even after the end of the Cold War.

The two countries held 18 months of secret talks that led to a joint announcement on December 17, 2014, under which the two long-time adversaries would restore diplomatic relations and release prisoners on both sides.

The United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in July 2015. Despite this, Washington continues to maintain its commercial, economic, and financial embargo, which makes it illegal for US corporations to do business with Cuba.

The so-called Bastion Strategic Exercise is the seventh of its kind to be held in Cuba. The first was conducted in 1980 after Ronald Reagan was elected US president.

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