Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Confirms Talks With Trump Officials

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly confirmed on March 13 that Cuban officials have held talks with representatives of the United States.

“President Donald Trump had said on several occasions over the past weeks that representatives of his administration were maintaining contacts with Cuban authorities”

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He described the exchanges as aimed at "finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences" between the two governments and to "identify the bilateral problems that need a solution."

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Díaz-Canel said international factors had helped facilitate the contacts and characterised the process as "very sensitive," emphasising it was being approached with responsibility and discretion.

Díaz-Canel framed the talks against a severe energy emergency on the island, blaming a US "energy blockade" for the fact that "no petroleum shipments have arrived on the island in the past three months,"

He warned that the shortage has produced prolonged blackouts, curtailed services and forced hospitals to postpone operations.

a24

Cuban officials and international reporting say the loss of Venezuelan oil supplies after Washington's operation in Caracas and threats to sanction third-country suppliers have sharply worsened fuel shortages.

Díaz-Canel said he was leading the Cuban side in the contacts together with former president Raúl Castro and senior Communist Party figures,

“They later operated on him when he was very small and left a scar that is now hardly noticeable," his cousin says”

Acento

State footage showed Raúl Castro's grandson, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro—nicknamed "El Cangrejo"—seated behind the president.

Cuban officials did not publicly name U.S. participants, though multiple outlets reported U.S. diplomacy had engaged discreetly, with media reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met Rodríguez Castro on the sidelines of a Caribbean meeting.

Cuba said international actors and mediators have helped facilitate the exchanges: Havana pointed to unspecified "international factors,"

The Vatican was cited as a mediator after Havana announced the forthcoming release of 51 prisoners under Vatican auspices,

Agencia de Periodismo Investigativo

Cuban officials said they were open to cooperation with U.S. agencies — including awaiting a possible FBI visit to investigate a recent armed speedboat incursion that Havana described as organised from U.S. territory.

The disclosures come amid intense U.S. pressure and public rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who has framed Cuba as a target for regime change and has warned the island "is gonna fall pretty soon" while also suggesting talks were underway;

““The impact is tremendous,” he said”

Al Jazeera

Havana stresses any dialogue must respect Cuba's "sovereignty and self-determination."

Al Jazeera

Observers and Cuban sources say the energy squeeze has fuelled social unrest — protests, student sit-ins and widespread complaints — adding urgency to Havana's willingness to engage in discreet talks that remain at an early stage.