Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Monday that his government is not negotiating with Washington, despite President Donald Trump’s threats to force Cuba into an agreement now that Venezuelan oil will no longer be supplied.
“There are no discussions with the US government, except technical contacts in the field of migration,” Díaz-Canel said in a post on X.
Díaz-Canel continued to denounce the US, accusing it of exerting hostile pressure on the island, and insisting that negotiations would only take place if they were conducted in accordance with international law.
“As history shows, to move forward, U.S.-Cuba relations must be based on international law rather than hostility, threats and economic coercion,” he said.
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Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel walks through the COP28 UN Climate Summit, Saturday, December 2, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Peter Dejong/AP Photo)
“We have always been ready to enter into a serious and responsible dialogue with the various governments of the United States, including the current one, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, principles of international law, mutual benefit without interference in internal affairs and with full respect for our independence,” Canel added.
On Sunday, Trump declared that Cuba would no longer receive oil or money from Venezuela, a move that would cut Havana’s old energy and financial lifeline.
The announcement came after a stunning Jan. 3 operation in Venezuela in which U.S. forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and reportedly killed at least 32 Cubans.
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President Donald Trump (left) led a military operation on January 3 that led to the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro (right). (Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Gaby Oraa/Getty Images)
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly advise them to make a deal BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” he warned.
Cuba has long depended on imported oil to keep its aging power grid running. Before the U.S. attack on Venezuela, Havana received 35,000 barrels a day from Venezuela, roughly 7,500 from Russia and about 5,500 barrels a day from Mexico, The Associated Press reported, citing Jorge Piñón of the University of Texas Energy Institute at Austin, who is tracking the shipments.
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Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel attends a rally in Havana, Cuba, on Saturday, January 3, 2026, in solidarity with Venezuela after the US captured President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of Venezuela. (Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo)
Despite Venezuelan oil imports, Cuba has suffered widespread power outages in recent years due to persistent fuel shortages, an aging and crumbling power grid and damage from hurricanes that have ravaged the island’s infrastructure.
With US sanctions tightening on both Russian and Venezuelan oil, the blackouts could worsen if Havana leaders reject Trump’s call for a deal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
