Cuba confirms talks with US amid energy crisis

Contacts with the Trump administration come as nationwide blackouts deepen following Washington’s oil restrictions and the Iran war

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has confirmed that officials in Havana are holding talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump, as the island grapples with a deepening energy crisis and widespread blackouts.

The contacts come amid mounting economic pressure on the Caribbean nation, with Cuban authorities blaming American sanctions and restrictions on fuel supplies for crippling the country’s power generation. The Iran conflict and the resulting spike in global oil prices have further aggravated the situation. Crude briefly topped $110 a barrel this month, the highest level since the pandemic.

Speaking in a televised address on Friday, Diaz-Canel said the contacts were “aimed at finding solutions through dialogue.” He did not specify when or where the talks were taking place, or which officials were involved.

The announcement marks the first time in more than a decade that Havana has publicly acknowledged formal discussions with Washington. It follows weeks of power cuts, fuel shortages, and growing public anger after the halt of Venezuelan oil shipments in the wake of the US seizure of President Nicolas Maduro and as Washington stepped up efforts to block other suppliers. Trump has repeatedly threatened a “total oil blockade” of Cuba and warned that countries selling crude to the island could face tariffs.

No petroleum shipments have reached the island in the past three months, Diaz-Canel said, adding that tens of thousands of people, including children, are unable to undergo surgery because of the blockade.

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Last week, Trump said Cuba “is gonna fall pretty soon.” He previously suggested the US could carry out a “friendly takeover of Cuba,” but also added that it might not be friendly.

Diaz-Canel said Havana was entering the dialogue “without renouncing our principles or sovereignty,” and rejected claims his government is close to collapse, while admitting that Cuba is facing one of the worst economic and energy crises in its recent history.

The Cuban government has long blamed its economic woes on decades of US sanctions, saying they have strangled growth and limited access to global markets. To cover its energy needs, Havana has increasingly depended on oil deliveries from Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela.

READ MORE: Russia weighing fuel aid for crisis-hit Cuba

Moscow has condemned Washington’s blockade of the island, warning that sanctions and other coercive measures breach international law and threaten stability. Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak said Russia is considering fuel aid to help ease Cuba’s energy emergency.