Havana — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Thursday that Cuba is prepared to engage in dialogue with the United States on any matter but will not accept talks carried out under pressure. He said negotiations must occur “from a position of equals,” with respect for Cuba’s sovereignty, independence and self-determination, and without interference in the nation’s internal affairs.
The comments come amid rising tensions and a severe energy shortage on the island that officials link to recent U.S. actions following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed ongoing negotiations with Havana—claims denied by Cuban authorities—and has urged Cuba to “make a deal” with Washington. Trump has also said he will move to curtail Cuba’s access to oil, including by targeting Venezuelan supplies, and has threatened tariffs on countries that assist the island.
The White House, through spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, described Cuba as being “on its last leg” while maintaining that diplomatic channels remain open. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly supported efforts aimed at regime change in Havana.
Cuba is experiencing an acute energy crisis: officials report no diesel or oil-fired power generation for weeks and say shipments from Venezuela ceased in December. Earlier Thursday, a widespread grid failure left hundreds of thousands of people in eastern provinces without power for prolonged periods.
Díaz-Canel said Cuba “is not alone” in seeking support to address shortages but did not identify specific partners or detail efforts to secure fuel. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said diplomatic efforts are underway to resume crude deliveries in ways that would avoid exposing suppliers to potential U.S. tariffs.
The U.S. State Department announced $6 million in direct aid to Cubans distributed via the Catholic Church, following an earlier $3 million delivered through local parishes.
Cuban officials attribute the island’s deepest economic crisis in decades to longstanding U.S. sanctions, pointing to acute shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Independent observers and critics also cite internal economic mismanagement and a slump in tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic. Díaz-Canel said the situation highlights the need to expand renewable energy capacity to reduce dependence on external fuel supplies.
Reported by ANI.
