Cuba’s president says dialogue with US stalled amid rising tensions
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said dialogue between Cuba and the United States is “stagnant” and that there is currently no defined agenda for negotiations, while rejecting claims that the country is on the verge of economic collapse.
“There is a desire for dialogue, and there are officials from our government who have spoken with the US government. But it has not yet been possible to advance. There is no agenda,” Diaz-Canel said, Anadolu Agency reported.
He said Cuba remains willing to establish a channel of dialogue with Washington but rejected the possibility of negotiations taking place under conditions of oppression.
“There can be no dialogue under oppression. We need to seek a channel for dialogue without preconditions,” he said.
Diaz-Canel accused the administration of US President Donald Trump of seeking to economically suffocate Cuba and provoke a social explosion that would ultimately lead to the fall of the Cuban Revolution.
He also accused Washington of seeking to “cut off all forms of escape” available to Cuba, referring to remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Cuban president rejected claims that the country is nearing collapse despite shortages of fuel, electricity, food and medicines.
“We find ourselves in a complex situation but one marked by enormous creativity and the historic resilience of the Cuban people,” he said.
Diaz-Canel acknowledged that government bureaucracy and delays in implementing reforms have contributed to some of the country’s problems, but he attributed the economic crisis primarily to the US “blockade.”
According to figures cited by Folha de S.Paulo, Cuba’s economy has contracted by 15% since Diaz-Canel took office. The country has also experienced prolonged power outages and fuel shortages as the economic crisis has deepened.
Diaz-Canel defended a package of 176 economic measures approved by Cuba’s parliament in June, saying the reforms are intended to strengthen the country’s socialist economic model.
The measures expand the role of private businesses and foreign investment, but Diaz-Canel rejected claims that they represent a shift toward capitalism.
The interview came amid heightened tensions between Havana and Washington, as the Trump administration has intensified economic pressure on Cuba.
Diaz-Canel said Havana would continue to defend its sovereignty while remaining open to dialogue with Washington without preconditions.