Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel says the United States is considering three possible scenarios in its pressure campaign against the communist-led island, in remarks published in an interview with Spanish digital outlet elDiario.es. According to Díaz-Canel, the first scenario is “economic strangulation” intended to provoke social unrest, which the U.S. could then use as a pretext to intervene under the guise of humanitarian aid. He also says a second scenario involves continuing a “coercive dialogue” with Cuba while applying “maximum pressure” to seize or control the economy, with the goal of enabling pressure for a political-system change. A third scenario, Díaz-Canel adds, is military aggression. He links the discussion of these possibilities to statements he attributes to U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The comments come as Cuba faces an escalating economic crisis amid tightened U.S. measures, including actions affecting fuel supply and increased sanctions. Díaz-Canel also says Cuba should be prepared to defend itself so that there is no “surprise” or defeat.