Amid reports of discreet conversations between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro, Cuban-American lawmakers in Miami have refrained from publicly confirming those contacts.
During recent statements, both Mario Díaz-Balart and María Elvira Salazar were directly asked about the alleged exchanges between Rubio and the individual known as "El Cangrejo," a figure connected to the military conglomerate GAESA and the inner circle of the retired general.
During an event with the families of the victims of “Hermanos al Rescate” to commemorate the three decades since the attack and raise awareness about their demands as tensions between the United States and Cuba increase, Salazar mentioned that “it has been reported” that conversations exist, but he clarified that they cannot confirm if that is true.
Díaz-Balart was more explicit when he responded to a direct question: “No, I am not going to confirm or deny that. It is the administration that determines what they want to say.”
Responses occurred following the publications from Axios and the Miami Herald, which cite sources from the U.S. administration to confirm contacts between Rubio and Rodríguez Castro, in the context of a possible political transition on the island.
From Washington, President Donald Trump himself has stated that his administration is "talking to people at the highest levels in Cuba," without providing further details. Meanwhile, the Cuban regime has officially denied that formal negotiations exist and has labeled the reports as "speculations", as stated to EFE by Cuba's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán.
The cautious silence of the congress members reflects the sensitivity of the moment. The possibility of direct dialogue with Raúl Castro's inner circle—bypassing Miguel Díaz-Canel—raises questions about what kind of transition might be under discussion and how far the real power in Havana would be willing to go.
For now, the only clear thing is that the reported contacts have generated expectations both inside and outside the island, while the U.S. authorities avoid making public confirmations, and the Cuban government maintains an ambiguous stance.
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