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Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that his country is open to dialogue with the United States on any issue but firmly rejected talks under duress, amid escalating tensions and severe fuel shortages triggered by US pressure following a military operation in Venezuela.
According to France 24, Diaz-Canel insisted on Thursday, "Cuba is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States, a dialogue on any topic... but without pressure or preconditions." He emphasised that negotiations must occur "from a position of equals, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence and our self-determination," and without "interference in our internal affairs." US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed ongoing negotiations with Havana, which Cuban authorities have denied, and warned the island to "make a deal" with Washington "BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," asserting that Cuba was "ready to fall." Trump has vowed to block Cuba's oil access, including by controlling Venezuelan supplies after the ouster of its leader last month in a US operation, and threatened tariffs on nations aiding Havana. The White House, through spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, described Cuba as being "on its last leg" and urged wiser statements toward the US President, while maintaining that diplomacy remains open. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Miami-born son of Cuban immigrants, along with Trump, has openly expressed interest in regime change in Havana. The communist nation faces an acute energy crisis, with no diesel or oil production from generators for weeks and reliance on dwindling Venezuelan shipments halted since December. Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of thousands in eastern Cuba endured prolonged blackouts due to a grid failure. Diaz-Canel affirmed that Cuba retains international support, stating, "Cuba is not alone," though he avoided detailing allies or ongoing efforts to secure fuel. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum noted diplomatic efforts to resume crude deliveries but ruled out risking US tariffs. The US State Department announced USD 6 million in direct aid to Cubans via the Catholic Church, following USD 3 million in prior assistance delivered through local parishes. Cuban officials attribute the island's deepest economic woes in decades, marked by fuel, food, and medicine shortages, to longstanding US sanctions. Observers also point to internal mismanagement and a post-Covid tourism slump as contributing factors. Diaz-Canel highlighted the crisis as underscoring the need for renewable energy to lessen external dependence. (ANI)
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