Cuba on Monday firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington and Havana were in talks, saying there were “no conversations” between the two governments beyond limited technical contacts on migration.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, responding on social media, dismissed Trump’s remarks a day after the US leader urged the communist-ruled island to “make a deal” or face tougher consequences. Trump had claimed discussions were underway following the dramatic US military operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.
“There are no conversations with the US government except for technical contacts in the area of migration,” Díaz-Canel wrote on X.
Trump escalates pressure on Cuba
Trump, on Sunday, warned Havana that time was running out, pledging to cut off all oil and financial support Venezuela had been providing to Cuba prior to Maduro’s arrest in what he described as a lightning raid on January 3.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
However, the US president offered no details on what such a deal would entail, leaving Cuban officials and observers guessing about Washington’s demands.
Havana pushes back
Díaz-Canel responded sharply, asserting that Cuba would not bow to external pressure.
“No one will tell Cuba what to do,” he said, adding that relations with the United States “must be based on international law rather than hostility, threats, and economic coercion.”
The exchange comes as Washington intensifies pressure on Havana, building on decades-long US sanctions that have severely strained Cuba’s economy. Trump, who has taken a harder line than previous administrations, has in recent days signalled a willingness to further isolate the island diplomatically and economically.
Long-standing tensions
The US has maintained sweeping sanctions on Cuba for decades, citing human rights concerns and the island’s one-party communist system. Cuba, for its part, has repeatedly blamed the sanctions for shortages of fuel, food and medicines, calling them an act of economic warfare.
With Trump now linking Cuba’s future to developments in Venezuela, analysts say tensions between Washington and Havana are likely to intensify further, with little sign of renewed dialogue in the near term.