Cuba declares its readiness for “responsible dialogue” with the US

Cuba is ready for a “serious and responsible dialogue” with the United States amid tense bilateral relations, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Saturday, quoted by Reuters.

Rodriguez, who spoke at the summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), also emphasized that dialogue with the US must not involve “interference in the internal affairs” of Cuba.

On Friday, his deputy Carlos Fernandez de Cossio declared that Cuba's political system cannot be the subject of negotiations with the US administration. He also announced that the position of President Miguel Diaz-Canel in the Cuban government is “categorically” not subject to negotiations.

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he would “do something about Cuba soon.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for his part, stressed that “new people” must take over power on the island. This was yet another announcement of the US's desire to change the communist regime in Cuba. On Monday, Trump said he “believes he will have the honor of taking Cuba.”

According to the New York Times, Rubio wants President Canela-Diaz to step down. The U.S. strategy is to be similar to that of Venezuela, in which power would be taken over by someone with authority from the current regime. The Secretary of State held talks with former President Raul Castro's grandson, Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro.

There is an ongoing fuel crisis in Cuba; The country's difficult economic situation further deteriorated when the US in January placed an embargo on the island's oil imports from Venezuela and threatened other possible suppliers of the raw material. There are regular power outages on the island due to outdated energy infrastructure and lack of fuel in power plants. (PAP)

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