HAVANA, — Cuba has confirmed it has opened talks with the United States as a severe oil blockade imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump pushes the island nation deeper into an economic crisis.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said the discussions aim to resolve long-standing disputes between the two countries through dialogue and reduce tensions between the longtime rivals. The talks come as Cuba faces worsening shortages of fuel, medicine, and electricity. According to Díaz-Canel, no fuel has entered Cuba for three months due to the U.S. blockade, which has severely affected the country’s energy supply and destabilized the electrical grid.
The blockade intensified after the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, cutting off Venezuela’s oil shipments to Cuba. Washington has also warned other countries against selling oil to the Caribbean nation.As a result, Cuba has experienced widespread power outages, with some areas in Havana facing more than 12 hours of electricity cuts per day. The blackouts have triggered protests in the capital, where residents have taken to the streets banging pots in frustration.
Díaz-Canel said the negotiations are being led by him along with former Cuban president Raúl Castro and other officials. He emphasized that any discussions must respect the sovereignty and political systems of both nations. While details about the U.S. representatives involved were not disclosed, U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is participating in the negotiations.
Cuba has also taken steps to address its internal crisis. The government says it is increasing domestic oil and gas production and plans to boost solar power generation by 10 percent by the end of March to improve energy independence.
Separately, Cuba announced it will release 51 prisoners under an agreement facilitated by the Vatican. The move follows a recent meeting between Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla and Pope Leo.Cuban authorities said the prisoner release was a sovereign decision and not imposed by any foreign country.
Officials described the talks with Washington as being in the early stages, with the immediate goal of determining whether both sides are willing to reach an agreement that could ease tensions and help stabilize Cuba’s worsening economic situation.
