Cuba Confirms No Ongoing Talks With US Amid Severe Economic Pressures and Energy Crisis

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stated on Monday that Cuba and the United States are not currently engaged in negotiations, noting there is no agenda for future diplomatic talks as the Trump administration maintains its economic pressure on the island.

Speaking at a media conference in Havana, Rodríguez outlined Cuba's latest estimates regarding the decades-old US embargo, which has been in place since the communist revolution led by former leader Fidel Castro in 1959. According to the Cuban government, the embargo cost the nation's economy $8bn between March 2025 and February 2026, marking the highest recorded figure and a seven percent increase from the previous period.

Rodríguez emphasized that this total excludes newer sanctions, such as January's energy supply restrictions and May's secondary sanctions. In a post on X, he characterized the policy as "economic asphyxiation" and a "genocidal" blockade responsible for widespread shortages and hardship.

Highlighting the worsening energy crisis, Rodríguez explained that citizens are enduring severe power outages lasting most of the day, leading to spoiled food, heat distress, and disruptions to education and internet access. He condemned the situation as "collective punishment" driven by a US "energy siege" and secondary sanctions.

While diplomatic contacts earlier this year have stalled, tensions are set to move to the United Nations. Rodríguez announced that the UN General Assembly will address the annual resolution demanding an end to the US embargo on October 27 and 28, accusing Washington of exerting intimidation on member states while anticipating overwhelming international support for Cuba.