Miguel Díaz-Canel reacted with irritation this Thursday during his first interview with an American television network when journalist Kristen Welker, from the "Meet the Press" program of NBC News, asked him if he would be "willing to resign to save his country."
The Cuban leader responded with two counterquestions: "Do you ask Trump that question?" and whether the question "came from the U.S. State Department," marking the most tense moment in the exchange that took place in Havana.
Díaz-Canel categorically rejected any possibility of relinquishing power: "Resigning is not part of our vocabulary."
The leader also defended what he referred to as Cuban sovereignty: "In Cuba, those who hold leadership positions are not elected by the U.S. government nor do they have a mandate from that government. We have a free and sovereign state. We enjoy self-determination and independence, and we are not subject to the designs of the United States."
He also insisted that Cuban leaders "are elected by the people, although there is a narrative that tries to ignore that," and stated that "any of us, before taking on a leadership role, needs to be elected at the grassroots level in their electoral district by thousands of Cubans."
Cuba operates, however, under a one-party system that does not allow for the existence of opposition parties. All candidates for the National Assembly must belong to the Communist Party, and there is no legal political opposition or real transparency in the electoral process.
The interview holds exceptional historical value. The last time a Cuban leader appeared on "Meet the Press" was Fidel Castro in 1959.
The exchange occurs amid an unprecedented escalation of pressure from the Trump administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Cuba as a "disaster" and asserted that "Cubans can only succeed if they leave the country," making any change conditional on the departure of those "in charge." Trump, for his part, labeled Cuba a "failed nation" and suggested in February the possibility of "a friendly takeover, or it might not be."
Rubio also dismissed the regime's arguments regarding the energy shortage, stating that there is no naval blockade around Cuba and that the country lacks fuel "because they want it for free, and no one gives away oil or fuel unless the Soviet Union or Maduro is subsidizing them."
The island is experiencing its worst energy crisis in years, with blackouts lasting up to 30 hours a day, power generation deficits exceeding 1,800 megawatts, and a chronic shortage of food and medicine. The situation worsened following the cutoff of oil supplies from Venezuela after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces in January.
The first segment of the interview aired this Thursday; the extended version will be broadcast on Sunday on "Meet the Press".
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