Cuba’s foreign minister observes ‘no progress’ in US negotiations
A top Cuban official has accused the US of issuing ‘constant threats’ and attempting to scuttle a UN debate on its trade embargo. Cuban Foreign
A top Cuban official has accused the US of issuing ‘constant threats’ and attempting to scuttle a UN debate on its trade embargo. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has described negotiations with the United States as hitting a wall, with no breakthroughs made towards ending sanctions against the Caribbean island. “The discussions between the Cuban and US governments are showing no progress,” Rodriguez told a news conference on Tuesday. He proceeded to reflect on the ongoing negotiations with the government of US President Donald Trump, who has heightened pressure on the Caribbean island since returning to office for a second term. “The conduct of US government delegations — generally respectful — has been accompanied by constant threats against Cuba, the application of coercive measures, and offensive statements regarding our country’s independence,” Rodriguez said. Since the 1960s, the US has imposed a total trade embargo on Cuba, as part of a long-running dispute with the island’s communist leadership. But Trump has signalled he would like to see regime change in Cuba, and in January, he effectively severed Cuba’s supply of foreign oil by threatening tariffs against any country that provided it with fuel. Trump has also mused about taking military action against Cuba once the US-Israel war against Iran comes to a close.
In March, Cuban officials confirmed they were in talks with the Trump administration, though the details of those negotiations have not been confirmed. Reports emerged shortly afterwards that Trump was seeking the resignation of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, but the Cuban government has publicly refused such demands. On Tuesday, Rodriguez said that, despite the impasse, Havana “will remain open to dialogue”. He also accused the US of attempting to scuttle a planned debate at the United Nations General Assembly on July 7 to discuss Washington’s sanctions. Nearly every year, the UN votes overwhelmingly to back a symbolic resolution urging the US to end its record-long embargo on the Cuban economy. Rodriguez explained he called for the July 7 session out of concern for the growing tensions with the US. “It’s urgent because the multi-faceted aggression of the US government against Cuba is already ongoing and intensifying,” Rodriguez said. He also warned that the US Department of State, he said, was “pressuring and intimidating” UN members not to take part in the debate. Since the Trump administration began its pressure campaign this year, Cuba has taken measures to address the long-running human rights concerns that have dogged its government. In April, for instance, the government pardoned 2,010 prisoners in a so-called “humanitarian gesture”, though critics noted that the release did not include political dissidents jailed for “crimes against authority”.
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