Roy Perrin, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Havana, engaged in discussions this week with Lieutenant General Evan Pettus, the Deputy Commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), as confirmed by the embassy's Instagram post on Friday.
The diplomatic briefing described the meeting as a "productive conversation about Cuba," although specific details regarding the location or agenda topics were not disclosed.
Perrin holds the second-highest position at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, serving under the Chief of Mission Mike Hammer. He was appointed on August 21, 2025, and brings over 26 years of diplomatic experience, having previously served in Honduras, Venezuela, China, Iraq, Turkey, Costa Rica, and Thailand.
Lieutenant General Pettus, an Air Force officer and a 1994 graduate of the Military Academy, has accumulated over 2,700 flight hours as a combat pilot. He acted as the interim commander of SOUTHCOM from November 2024 to February 2026, until Marine General Francis L. Donovan assumed permanent command. Since then, Pettus has served as Donovan's deputy.
Strengthening U.S. Coordination on Cuban Issues
This meeting is part of an ongoing pattern of increased coordination between U.S. diplomatic efforts in Havana and SOUTHCOM's military apparatus. In January 2025, Mike Hammer met with then-SOUTHCOM head Admiral Alvin Holsey in Doral, Florida, to discuss the Cuban situation. Further engagement took place in May of this year, with Hammer attending a crucial conference alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and General Donovan at SOUTHCOM's headquarters, also in Doral.
The most notable event in this engagement occurred on May 29, when General Donovan and Cuban General Roberto Legrá Sotolongo met at the perimeter of the Guantanamo Naval Base, marking the first such meeting between military leaders of both nations in recent memory.
SOUTHCOM has publicly labeled the Cuban regime as "a corrosive element in Latin America," setting three main priorities concerning the island: safeguarding the embassy in Havana, securing the Guantanamo base, and preparing for potential mass migration scenarios.
Diplomatic and Military Engagement Continues
In March 2026, Perrin and his wife attended religious services at the Basilica of San Francisco de Asís in Old Havana as a gesture of solidarity with the Cuban people and political prisoners on the island.
The dialogue between Perrin and Pettus underscores the ongoing collaboration between U.S. diplomacy and military command concerning Cuba, at a time when bilateral relations are in a phase of tentative contacts without concrete commitments.
Key Questions About U.S.-Cuba Relations
What roles do Roy Perrin and Lieutenant General Evan Pettus play in U.S.-Cuba relations?
Roy Perrin serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, focusing on diplomatic relations, while Lieutenant General Evan Pettus, as Deputy Commander of SOUTHCOM, deals with military strategies concerning Cuba.
What are SOUTHCOM's priorities regarding Cuba?
SOUTHCOM's priorities include defending the U.S. Embassy in Havana, securing the Guantanamo Naval Base, and preparing for any potential mass migration from Cuba.