Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned that Cuba would wage a guerrilla-style fight if the United States launches a military attack on the island, saying such a move would "result in immense losses" for both countries. Photo: Internet Source

In an interview with Newsweek in Havana on Friday, Diaz-Canel responded to President Donald Trump's recent threats to "take" Cuba, the communist nation that sits just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

Cuba has faced a worsening economic crisis, widespread blackouts, fuel shortages, rising food prices and medicine shortages. Cuban officials have blamed U.S. pressure, including restrictions that have cut off oil shipments to the island since January.

The White House has defended its actions by saying Cuba poses "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security, citing the regime's communist policies, ties to Russia, China and Iran, and alleged links to Hamas and Hezbollah. Cuban officials deny any ties to terror groups.

Diaz-Canel said Cuba prefers peace but would retaliate if attacked.

"We will always strive to avoid war," he said. "We will always work for peace. But if military aggression occurs, we will fight back, we will battle, we will defend ourselves."

"And should we fall in battle, to die for the homeland is to live," he added.

The Cuban leader said the regime's "war of all the people" doctrine would make any U.S. assault costly.

"The loss of life and material destruction would be incalculable," he warned. "Such an act of aggression would be extremely costly in every respect, and it is not what our peoples deserve."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio brushed aside the remarks Tuesday, saying, "I don't think much about what he has to say."

Rubio, a longtime critic of Cuba's communist government, has stepped up calls for "change" in Havana.

During the interview, Diaz-Canel said U.S. officials were applying "maximum pressure" but insisted there was no justification for military action.

"There is no pretext, no excuse for the United States to resort to military aggression as a way out to resolve our differences," he said.

"Cuba does not pose a threat to the United States — and much less an 'extraordinary and unusual' threat, as has been alleged," he added.

Diaz-Canel also said he was not concerned about his personal safety.

"The leadership of the Cuban state, party and the revolution is collective," he said. "And decisions are made collectively."

He described Trump administration rhetoric about a Cuba "takeover" as "an entirely bellicose and aggressive stance" that was "far removed from what we proposed in our discussions with the United States."

Still, Diaz-Canel said Havana wants diplomacy.

"I think that dialogue is possible, and I think we can achieve some agreements, but it is difficult," he said.