Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel tells NBC News that he will not step down
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, in his first interview with a U.S. network, stated he would not step down unless the Cuban people decide he is unfit for office, emphasizing Cuba's sovereignty and independence from U.S. influence.
- Díaz-Canel criticized the U.S. for its "hostile policy" towards Cuba, blaming American sanctions and an energy blockade for Cuba's economic and social hardships, including impacts on health, transportation, and production.
- Despite tensions, Díaz-Canel expressed willingness for dialogue with the U.S. without preconditions or demands for political system changes, highlighting mutual doubts about each other's systems.
- Cuba recently received a Russian oil shipment after a three-month gap due to the U.S. energy blockade, with Russia promising additional deliveries, while the Trump administration had threatened tariffs on countries supplying Cuba with oil.
- The interview underscores ongoing strained U.S.-Cuba relations amid sanctions, geopolitical pressures, and Cuba's reliance on external oil supplies following disruptions from Venezuela's political crisis.
