The Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, asserted this Friday that "the Cuban political system is not subject to negotiation," nor are any of its governmental positions.
At a press conference, De Cossío stated that negotiations with the United States are "very sensitive" matters and that the Government is handling them "discreetly," refusing to provide details about the discussions.
"I can categorically confirm that the Cuban political system is not up for negotiation, nor of course is the president or any government position open to negotiation, neither with the United States nor with any other country," he stated, as quoted by the agency EFE.
The official deemed any attempt to "erase the independence" of the Caribbean nation as "totally unacceptable for Cuba."
He added that Cuba is open to dialogue with the United States on issues that would be mutually beneficial, such as collaboration on security regarding drug trafficking and organized crime.
He stated that the Cuban government's "sustained position" is its "willingness" to engage in dialogue, and that this will not change "despite the increase in hostility" from Washington. "We see no other way" to address our differences, he pointed out.
The deputy minister criticized what he called Washington's "ruthlessly aggressive policy" towards the island, the "effective energy blockade" since January, and the recent "illegal and illegitimate threats."
Nevertheless, he emphasized that Cuba is convinced that despite these "bilateral differences," the two countries can maintain a "respectful relationship."
"Cuba does not pose a threat to the United States," he stated.
Fernández de Cossío's statements align with the message that Miguel Díaz-Canel published last Wednesday, in which he accused Washington of threatening to forcibly overthrow the Cuban constitutional order.
"The U.S. publicly threatens Cuba almost daily with forceful attempts to overthrow the constitutional order. And it uses an outrageous pretext: the harsh limitations of the weakened economy that they have attacked and sought to isolate for more than six decades," he wrote on X.
The dictator accused the U.S. government of trying to "take over the country, its resources, its properties, and even its economy...", and described the embargo as a "fierce economic war" applied as a "collective punishment against the entire people."
His text was in response to earlier statements made by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which were disseminated on Monday and Tuesday.
Trump stated from the White House that Cuba is a "failed nation" and that he will have the honor of taking it: "If I free it, I take it. I think I can do whatever I want with it."
Rubio stated that the Cuban economy "doesn't work" and demanded radical changes: "They need to put new people in charge. They must change drastically."
All this confrontation occurred days after Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials are having conversations with representatives of the U.S. administration, aimed at "seeking solutions through dialogue for bilateral differences."
The ruling leader added that the exchange has been conducted at the highest level: "Led by the Army General as the historical leader of our revolution (an explicit reference to Raúl Castro) and by me, in coordination with the highest structures of the party, the State, and the government."
The announcement represented a 180-degree turn from the official stance held for weeks.
On January 12, Díaz-Canel himself had denied the existence of such conversations, limiting them to "technical contacts in the migration field."
In February, Deputy Minister Fernández de Cossío stated that "that dialogue has not begun." On March 10, the regime once again denied the negotiations.
Díaz-Canel outlined four purposes of the discussions: to identify the most pressing bilateral issues, find solutions, assess the willingness of both parties, and explore areas of cooperation for regional security.
He also noted that the Cuban side demands that the process takes place "on the basis of equality and respect for the political systems of both states."
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