Cuba responds sharply to US calls for a "deal"
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has reacted strongly to US President Donald Trump's statements demanding that Havana strike a deal with Washington "before it's too late". In a post on the social media network X on Sunday 11 January, the Cuban leader emphasised that Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign state and no one has the right to dictate terms to it, reports DW.
Diaz Canel attributed the difficult economic situation in the country to the long-standing US sanctions. According to him, the restrictions have been in place for about 60 years and tend to be further tightened. He also criticised Washington's approach, which, in his view, turns international relations into a business even when human lives are at stake.
The day before, US President Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that Cuba had been receiving oil and financial support from Venezuela for many years, providing security services to the regimes of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro in return. According to the head of the White House, this scheme is ending, and neither oil nor money will be coming to Cuba anymore. Trump called on the Cuban authorities to urgently reach an agreement with the US, without specifying its content and possible consequences of refusal.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denied the allegations of receiving a reward for security services on the same day. He emphasised that Havana has never engaged in mercenarism or blackmail and has every right to import fuel from any market without interference from the US.
Reuters notes that Washington's rhetoric towards Cuba has escalated sharply in recent weeks. The journalists attribute this to the Trump administration's broader geopolitical ambitions and desire to increase US influence in the Western Hemisphere.
