Miguel Díaz-Canel defended his stay in power and rejected claims that his departure is part of negotiations with the United States, asserting that the decision belongs exclusively to the National Assembly of People's Power.
His statements, made in an interview with the Mexican newspaper La Jornada, come amid growing pressures from Washington to force political changes on the island.
"My continuity, or that of anyone else with a responsibility of this level in our country, depends on the people and their representatives in the National Assembly of People's Power," he stated.
During the interview, Díaz-Canel insisted that political decisions in Cuba should not be personalized and defended the collective nature of the system. "In Cuba, processes like these cannot be personalized." He stated this while denouncing what he described as media discrediting campaigns against him.
The leader also dismissed changes to the country's political model and reiterated that the Communist Party will remain the core of the system. As he explained, the ongoing economic reforms aim for a combination of centralized planning and market mechanisms, partially inspired by models such as those of China and Vietnam, but adapted to Cuban conditions.
His statements come amid a deep economic crisis, characterized by prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, inflation, and a rapid decline in living standards that is pushing thousands of families into poverty.
In that context, Díaz-Canel once again blamed U.S. sanctions for the worsening situation, without acknowledging the impact of decades of poor internal economic management.
"It's been almost four months since we received a drop of fuel", he claimed, describing the impact on transportation, production, and distribution of food.
He also mentioned the possibility of expanding the participation of Cubans living abroad in the national economy, although within a regulatory framework controlled by the state.
In political terms, he reiterated that any dialogue with Washington must be based on mutual respect and confirmed that conversations are ongoing, although he described the process as "very sensitive."
In this regard, he stated that "the biggest failure of the U.S. governments in these 67 years of revolution is not having been able to seize Cuba," and added that this inability "provokes anger" in Washington.
On the U.S. side, the Trump administration has reiterated that the system of government in Cuba must change.
The statements reflect the regime's stance: to maintain political control while trying to implement limited economic adjustments, in a context of increasing international pressure, internal crisis, and without signs of real political openness.
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