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Unidentified speaker declines to commit to ruling out U.S. support for regime change in Cuba
Summary
In a short hearing exchange, an unidentified speaker said they "would love to see the regime change" in Cuba but stopped short of promising U.S. action, described regime change as use of U.S. power ("usually kinetic") and referenced an unspecified statute.
An unidentified speaker in a brief hearing exchange declined to publicly commit to ruling out U.S. support for regime change in Cuba, saying they "would love to see the regime change" but that that preference "doesn't mean that we're gonna make a change."
The question—whether the United States would rule out actions intended to topple Cuba's current government—was put directly by the questioner. The speaker clarified that by "regime change" they meant using U.S. power, "usually kinetic power," and other forms of coercion, not merely wishing a different government were in place. "I'm not even saying that that's always not in our interest," the speaker added; the comment was framed as a distinction between preferring a different government and actively trying to precipitate its fall.
When pressed on intent, the speaker answered in the affirmative to the clarifying question but added, "But that's statutory," indicating there is a legal or statutory aspect to the issue; the transcript did not identify which statute the speaker had in mind. No motions or votes were recorded in the provided exchange, and no named official or committee was identified in the transcript. The exchange concluded with no formal commitment recorded.
