Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said his government is not holding talks with the United States, a day after President Donald Trump issued threats toward the Caribbean nation following a recent U.S. attack on Venezuela.
In a series of posts on X, Díaz-Canel responded to Trump’s suggestion that Cuba should “make a deal, before it is too late,” without clarifying what such a deal would involve. The Cuban leader said any improvement in relations must be grounded in international law and mutual respect, not “hostility, threats and economic coercion.”
He said Cuba has always been open to dialogue with U.S. administrations, including the current one, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, noninterference and full respect for Cuba’s independence. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez echoed the message.
Trump said Sunday that Cuba would no longer benefit from oil and financial support from Venezuela following the U.S. attack that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela had been supplying Cuba with about 35,000 barrels of oil per day, a key lifeline for the energy-strapped island.
Despite that support, Cuba has faced widespread blackouts due to fuel shortages and a deteriorating power grid. Analysts warn that losing Venezuelan oil could worsen the country’s deep economic crisis, compounded by tighter U.S. sanctions and declining tourism revenue.
Díaz-Canel emphasized that the only ongoing contacts with Washington are limited technical talks on migration. Meanwhile, uncertainty over U.S.-Cuba relations continues to fuel anxiety among ordinary Cubans already struggling with shortages, inflation and a prolonged economic downturn.
