Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has labeled the summit organized by U.S. President Donald Trump as 'neocolonial', referencing the meeting held in Miami known as the 'Shield of the Americas'. This event brought together twelve leaders from Latin America who are closely aligned with U.S. interests to discuss tackling drug cartels in the continent. Diaz-Canel's remarks reflect his disdain for what he perceives as external interference in the region's affairs, especially criticizing the use of military force as a solution to internal issues within sovereign nations.

In his statements made on social media platform X, Diaz-Canel described the summit as a reactionary gathering that encourages Latin American countries to endorse aggressive military interventions by the U.S. He emphasized that such actions undermine the sovereignty of these nations, framing them as a means for the U.S. to maintain control over the region under the guise of promoting security and stability. The summit’s focus on collaboration against drug trafficking is juxtaposed against the backdrop of Latin America's historical struggles with interventions from foreign powers.

Diaz-Canel’s comments not only critique the motivations behind the summit but also signal the mounting tensions between Cuba and the United States. Trump's declaration that Cuba is 'living its last hours' under the current regime provokes further scrutiny of U.S.-Cuban relations. This discourse illustrates a broader pattern of Latin American leaders reassessing their stance towards U.S. influence, seeking more autonomous approaches to managing regional challenges, reflecting a complex interplay of power dynamics in the Americas.