US pressure on Cubas president intensifies amid diplomatic tensions

Cuba’s President Vows to Resist US Pressure

In an interview with NBC News, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that he will not step down from his position as president. “Stepping down is not part of our vocabulary,” he said. Diaz-Canel described Cuba as a “free sovereign state” with the right to “self-determination.” He emphasized that the island’s leadership positions are not elected by the US government.

The comments come amid increasing pressure and demands for regime change from the Trump administration. The US president has hinted that Cuba could face similar circumstances as Venezuela and Iran. In January, the US cut off Cuba’s main oil supply after ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Since then, the US has imposed an oil blockade on the island and threatened tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba.

Diaz-Canel condemned the US “hostile policy” that has affected Cuba with widespread power blackouts, fuel shortages, and disruptions to water and food distribution. He also stated that the Trump administration’s actions have deprived the American people of a normal relationship with Cuba.

The current tensions between the two countries date back to the Cold War era, when the US took an adversarial stance against left-wing governments in the Americas. The Cuban Revolution led to the overthrow of a US-backed military government in the 1950s. In response, Washington imposed a comprehensive trade embargo aimed at weakening Fidel Castro.

Despite US pressure, Russia has maintained its close alliance with Cuba. A recent shipment of oil from Russia docked in Cuba, marking the first delivery in three months.

Source: Al Jazeera