HAVANA – Cuba’s political system and President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s tenure are non-negotiable in ongoing talks with the United States, a top official declared Friday, defying reports of American pressure amid a crippling oil embargo.
Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío stated unequivocally at a press conference: “I can categorically confirm that the political system of Cuba is not up for negotiation, and of course neither the president nor the position of any official in Cuba is subject to negotiation with the United States.”
The firm stance follows Cuba’s acknowledgment last week of entering discussions with the Trump administration, as the US oil blockade, intensified under President Donald Trump, exacerbates the island’s economic woes, causing widespread blackouts and fuel shortages. The New York Times reported, citing sources, that Washington aims to oust Díaz-Canel, who has two years left as president and five as Communist Party leader.
Ties have soured sharply since Trump’s return, echoing his first-term “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions and tightened embargoes. Cuba, long a US adversary, views the talks as a bid for concessions without yielding sovereignty.