Cuba and US officials discuss lifting Trump-era energy blockade

Cuba and US Hold Talks in Havana

A recent exchange between Cuban and US officials took place in Havana, with both sides confirming that the discussions were conducted in a respectful and professional manner.

According to Alejandro Garcia del Toro, deputy director general at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US delegation included assistant secretaries of state. The Cuban delegation was comprised of representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister.

Garcia del Toro stated that no threats or deadlines were issued during the talks as reported by some US media outlets. He emphasized that ending the three-month-old US oil blockade is a top priority for the Cuban government.

In comments to Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper Granma, Garcia del Toro accused Washington of “blackmail” for threatening countries that export oil to Cuba with tariffs. He described this act of economic coercion as an unjustified punishment for the entire Cuban population and a form of global blackmail against sovereign states.

US officials reportedly held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10, including with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former President Raul Castro. The meetings marked the first time that American diplomats had flown into Cuba since 2016 as part of a new diplomatic push.

US proposals for negotiations with Cuba include releasing prominent political prisoners, ending political repression, and liberalizing the island’s economy. Additionally, US officials suggested allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals into the country and providing compensation for Americans and US corporations for assets confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution.

Washington is concerned about the influence of foreign powers on the island, according to a US official. The fuel blockade has exacerbated Cuba’s economic and energy crisis, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster.

Source: Al Jazeera