Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has recommended that Havana would settle for humanitarian aid from the US whether it is delivered in accordance with internationally recognised practices.
However he added that, if the aim had been really to alleviate the struggling of the Cuban individuals, the US would do higher to elevate its commerce embargo on the island.
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The president’s remarks got here in a social media submit on Thursday, someday after the US provided $100m in humanitarian aid to Cuba.
“If the US authorities is really keen to offer assist within the quantities it has introduced and in full accordance with universally recognised humanitarian practices, it won’t encounter obstacles or ingratitude from Cuba,” Diaz-Canel wrote.
The help provide, nonetheless, got here with the situation that Cuba’s authorities institute “significant reforms”.
Diaz-Canel described the provide as paradoxical, given what he known as the “systematic and ruthless” punishment imposed by the US authorities on the Cuban individuals.
“The hurt may very well be alleviated in a a lot simpler and extra expeditious method via the lifting or easing of the blockade, on condition that the humanitarian scenario is understood to be coldly calculated and intentionally induced,” he wrote.
Because the Sixties, Cuba has been below a complete commerce embargo from the US, one in every of its closest neighbours. The island sits simply 150 kilometres, or 90 miles, from US shores.
However since President Donald Trump took workplace for a second time period in 2025, US stress on Cuba’s authorities has been heightened.
In January, Trump first reduce the movement of funds and gasoline from Venezuela to Cuba. Then, he threatened steep tariffs in opposition to any nation that gives Havana with oil, implementing a de facto gasoline blockade on the island.
The end result has been island-wide blackouts and vitality shortages which have left public providers at a standstill, together with at hospitals.
Diaz-Canel indicated in Thursday’s message that primary provides had additionally turn out to be scarce. “The priorities are greater than evident: gasoline, meals, and medicines,” he wrote.
US renews $100m assist provide to Cuba
Thursday’s feedback got here a day after Cuba’s Vitality Minister Vicente de la O Levy warned the nation had fully run out of diesel and gasoline oil, deepening the island’s vitality disaster.
The Trump administration, in the meantime, has signalled its aim is to see regime change in Havana, the place communist leaders within the authorities have been accused of violent repression.
In a press release on Wednesday, the US Division of State indicated it had been negotiating in non-public with the Cuban authorities to supply assist in alternate for presidency reform.
“In the present day, the Division of State is publicly restating the US’ beneficiant provide to offer a further $100 million in direct humanitarian help to the Cuban individuals,” the US State Division mentioned in a press release.
“The choice rests with the Cuban regime to simply accept our provide of help or deny vital life-saving assist and in the end be accountable to the Cuban individuals for standing in the way in which of vital help.”
Media studies have indicated that the Trump administration has privately pressured Diaz-Canel to step down, although such a transfer would maintain a lot of the island’s communist management in energy.
Trump has publicly pointed to his efforts in Venezuela as a mannequin for the way he want to see adversarial governments change.
On January 3, the US launched a army operation to abduct Venezuela’s then-President Nicolas Maduro, and Maduro’s second-in-command, Delcy Rodriguez, has since been sworn in as his interim alternative.
She has conceded to lots of Trump’s high-profile calls for, together with permitting US management over Venezuela’s gasoline exports and extra alternatives for international funding.
If Diaz-Canel had been to step down, it’s unclear who may exchange him.
On Thursday, a US delegation led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe met Cuban officers in Havana, together with one attainable contender: Raul “Raulito” Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former President Raul Castro.
Each side mentioned potential cooperation on regional and worldwide safety.
In keeping with a Cuban authorities assertion, Havana additionally informed the US delegation that Cuba doesn’t pose a risk to US nationwide safety, because the Trump administration has claimed.
