Cuba confirms talks with US amid power disaster — RT World Information
Contacts with the Trump administration come as nationwide blackouts deepen following Washington’s oil restrictions and the Iran battle
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has confirmed that officers in Havana are holding talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump, because the island grapples with a deepening power disaster and widespread blackouts.
The contacts come amid mounting financial strain on the Caribbean nation, with Cuban authorities blaming American sanctions and restrictions on gasoline provides for crippling the nation’s energy technology. The Iran battle and the ensuing spike in international oil costs have additional aggravated the state of affairs. Crude briefly topped $110 a barrel this month, the very best stage for the reason that pandemic.
Talking in a televised tackle on Friday, Diaz-Canel mentioned the contacts have been “geared toward discovering options via dialogue.” He didn’t specify when or the place the talks have been happening, or which officers have been concerned.
The announcement marks the primary time in additional than a decade that Havana has publicly acknowledged formal discussions with Washington. It follows weeks of energy cuts, gasoline shortages, and rising public anger after the halt of Venezuelan oil shipments within the wake of the US seizure of President Nicolas Maduro and as Washington stepped up efforts to dam different suppliers. Trump has repeatedly threatened a “complete oil blockade” of Cuba and warned that nations promoting crude to the island might face tariffs.
No petroleum shipments have reached the island previously three months, Diaz-Canel mentioned, including that tens of hundreds of individuals, together with youngsters, are unable to bear surgical procedure due to the blockade.
Final week, Trump mentioned Cuba “is gonna fall fairly quickly.” He beforehand advised the US might perform a “pleasant takeover of Cuba,” but additionally added that it may not be pleasant.
Diaz-Canel mentioned Havana was coming into the dialogue “with out renouncing our rules or sovereignty,” and rejected claims his authorities is near collapse, whereas admitting that Cuba is going through one of many worst financial and power crises in its latest historical past.
The Cuban authorities has lengthy blamed its financial woes on many years of US sanctions, saying they’ve strangled development and restricted entry to international markets. To cowl its power wants, Havana has more and more relied on oil deliveries from Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela.
Moscow has condemned Washington’s blockade of the island, warning that sanctions and different coercive measures breach worldwide legislation and threaten stability. Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak mentioned Russia is contemplating gasoline assist to assist ease Cuba’s power emergency.
