Contacts with the Trump administration come as nationwide blackouts deepen following Washington’s oil restrictions and the Iran war
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. © Getty Images / Horacio Villalobos / Contributor
[RT] Cuban
President Miguel Diaz-Canel has confirmed that officials in Havana are
holding talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump, as
the island grapples with a deepening energy crisis and widespread
blackouts.
The contacts come amid mounting economic pressure on
the Caribbean nation, with Cuban authorities blaming American sanctions
and restrictions on fuel supplies for crippling the country’s power
generation. The Iran conflict and the resulting spike in global oil
prices have further aggravated the situation. Crude briefly topped $110 a
barrel this month, the highest level since the pandemic.
Speaking in a televised address on Friday, Diaz-Canel said the contacts were “aimed at finding solutions through dialogue.” He did not specify when or where the talks were taking place, or which officials were involved.
The
announcement marks the first time in more than a decade that Havana has
publicly acknowledged formal discussions with Washington. It follows
weeks of power cuts, fuel shortages, and growing public anger after the
halt of Venezuelan oil shipments in the wake of the US seizure of
President Nicolas Maduro and as Washington stepped up efforts to block
other suppliers. Trump has repeatedly threatened a “total oil blockade” of Cuba and warned that countries selling crude to the island could face tariffs.
No
petroleum shipments have reached the island in the past three months,
Diaz-Canel said, adding that tens of thousands of people, including
children, are unable to undergo surgery because of the blockade.
Last week, Trump said Cuba “is gonna fall pretty soon.” He previously suggested the US could carry out a “friendly takeover of Cuba,” but also added that it might not be friendly.
Diaz-Canel said Havana was entering the dialogue “without renouncing our principles or sovereignty,”
and rejected claims his government is close to collapse, while
admitting that Cuba is facing one of the worst economic and energy
crises in its recent history.
The Cuban government has long blamed
its economic woes on decades of US sanctions, saying they have
strangled growth and limited access to global markets. To cover its
energy needs, Havana has increasingly depended on oil deliveries from
Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela.
Moscow has condemned Washington’s blockade of the island,
warning that sanctions and other coercive measures breach international
law and threaten stability. Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said
Russia is considering fuel aid to help ease Cuba’s energy emergency.