Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel has dismissed claims of ongoing negotiations with the United States, stating that no substantive dialogue is taking place between the two countries beyond routine technical discussions on migration matters.
The clarification came on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the two nations were engaged in talks following the dramatic military intervention that led to the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Trump had urged Cuba to “make a deal” or face further economic consequences.
“There are no conversations with the U.S. government except for technical contacts in the area of migration,” Díaz-Canel wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, in a direct response to Trump’s public statements.
The exchange marks the latest escalation in tensions between Washington and Havana, two capitals that have maintained a largely adversarial relationship for more than six decades. The comments also highlight the deepening fallout from the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the arrest of Maduro, a key Cuban ally and longstanding supporter of the island’s government.
On Sunday, Trump issued a stark warning to Cuba via his Truth Social platform, threatening to cut off all oil and financial support that Venezuela had been providing to the island prior to Maduro’s arrest. The U.S. president also pressured Havana to reach an agreement with Washington, though he offered few details about what such a deal would entail.
“There will be no more oil or money going to Cuba—zero! I strongly suggest they make a deal, before it is too late,” Trump wrote.
The statement underscores the strategic importance of Venezuela’s relationship with Cuba, which has relied heavily on subsidised Venezuelan oil for years. Under Maduro, and before him Hugo Chávez, Venezuela provided Cuba with an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of oil per day at preferential rates, a lifeline that has helped sustain the island’s struggling economy amid stringent U.S. sanctions.
The loss of Venezuelan oil would deal a severe blow to Cuba, which has faced chronic fuel shortages, widespread blackouts, and economic stagnation in recent years. The island’s energy crisis has been exacerbated by aging infrastructure, limited domestic production, and restricted access to international markets due to the decades-old U.S. trade embargo.
Díaz-Canel responded to Trump’s ultimatum with defiance, asserting that “no one” would dictate Cuba’s actions. On Monday, he added that any relationship with the United States “must be based on international law rather than hostility, threats, and economic coercion.”
His remarks reflect Havana’s longstanding position that normalisation of relations with Washington can only occur on the basis of mutual respect, sovereignty, and the lifting of sanctions.
The United States has maintained comprehensive economic sanctions on Cuba since the early 1960s, following the Cuban Revolution and the establishment of a communist government under Fidel Castro. The embargo, which restricts trade, investment, and financial transactions, has been condemned by successive Cuban governments as an act of economic warfare and has been repeatedly criticised by the United Nations General Assembly.
While the Obama administration took steps to ease restrictions and re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba in 2015, those measures were largely reversed during Trump’s first term in office. Trump tightened sanctions, restricted travel, and added Cuba back to the U.S. State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism in the final days of his presidency in January 2021.
The Biden administration maintained many of those restrictions, though it did resume limited dialogue on migration and other technical issues. However, broader diplomatic engagement remained frozen, and economic pressure continued.
Trump’s return to the White House has brought renewed focus on Cuba, particularly in the context of regional geopolitics and the dramatic shift in Venezuela. The U.S. military operation that led to Maduro’s arrest has reshaped the political landscape in Latin America and the Caribbean, raising questions about the future of leftist alliances in the region.
Cuba has long been aligned with Venezuela, both ideologically and economically. Havana has provided Caracas with medical personnel, technical advisors, and intelligence support, while Venezuela has reciprocated with oil shipments and financial assistance. The collapse of Maduro’s government threatens to sever that partnership and leave Cuba increasingly isolated.
Trump provided almost no details about what kind of deal he was proposing or what concessions he might be seeking from Cuba. Analysts have speculated that Washington could be seeking policy changes related to human rights, political prisoners, or Cuba’s support for other leftist governments in the region.
However, Cuban officials have consistently rejected any conditions that they perceive as infringing on national sovereignty or the principles of the Cuban Revolution.
The migration issue, which Díaz-Canel acknowledged as the sole area of technical contact between the two countries, has been a point of ongoing concern for both governments. Large numbers of Cubans have emigrated to the United States in recent years, driven by economic hardship and political discontent. Migration talks between the two nations have historically focused on preventing irregular crossings and managing repatriation procedures.
As tensions escalate, the broader implications for Cuba’s economy and regional stability remain uncertain. Without Venezuelan oil, Cuba may be forced to seek alternative suppliers, increase domestic rationing, or negotiate with other international partners such as Russia or China. However, any of these options would come with significant political and financial costs.
