Díaz-Canel denies the existence of political prisoners on NBC and blames the U.S. for the crisis in Cuba

Miguel Díaz-Canel denied this Sunday the existence of political prisoners in Cuba and attributed the entire crisis the island is experiencing to the U.S. embargo during the "Meet the Press" program on NBC News.

In an interview with journalist Kristen Welker, who conducted it in Havana on April 9 and aired it in full this Sunday, Díaz-Canel described the narrative about political prisoners in Cuba as a "great lie" and "slander."

"That narrative that has been created, that image that anyone who speaks against the revolution is imprisoned. That is a great lie, that is a slander," stated the Cuban leader.

Welker pointed out that there are more than 1,200 documented political prisoners in Cuba, citing the emblematic case of rapper Maykel Osorbo, who has been imprisoned since 2021 for writing "Patria y Vida," a song that won two Latin Grammy Awards and became an anthem for the protests on July 11 of that year. Díaz-Canel refused to commit to his release, stating that those who are imprisoned are there for "vandalism and crimes," not for protesting, and that they are funded by "terrorist organizations and U.S. government agencies."

The organization Prisoners Defenders recorded 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba at the end of February 2026. Osorbo, arrested on May 18, 2021, and sentenced to nine years in prison, was transferred without prior notice in January 2026 to Kilo 8 prison in Pinar del Río.

The leader also categorically rejected the conditions put forth by Washington to move forward in bilateral negotiations: the release of political prisoners, multi-party elections, recognition of independent unions, and guarantees of press freedom. "No one has made those demands of us. And we have established that respect for our political system and our constitutional order are matters that are not up for negotiation with the United States," he stated.

Regarding the severe energy and economic crisis affecting the island, Díaz-Canel denied any responsibility of the regime and blamed the embargo. "This is not the fault of the Cuban government. The answer lies in that policy of permanent hostility from the U.S. government," he said.

Cuba suffers blackouts of up to 25 and 30 hours daily in full 2026, worsened since January by the cutoff of Venezuelan oil supplies following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. A Russian tanker arrived in Matanzas on March 30 with crude oil equivalent to only a third of the island's monthly needs, which Díaz-Canel described as "humanitarian aid."

Since last Thursday, a preview of the interview published by the American media itself highlighted Díaz-Canel's discomfort when asked if he would resign to save Cuba. The leader : "Have you asked that question to any other president in the world? Is that question coming from you or from the State Department of the U.S. government?" He then added: "The concept of revolutionaries resigning and stepping down is not part of our vocabulary."

Díaz-Canel also confirmed that Cuba and the U.S. are holding negotiations, although he clarified that he personally has not had contact with Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "I have not spoken with Secretary Rubio. I do not know him." He described the dialogue as possible but difficult: "I believe that dialogue and agreements with the U.S. government are possible, but they are difficult."

The Cuban Deputy Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío acknowledged explicitly the existence of political prisoners on March 22, 2026, although he referred to them as a non-negotiable "internal matter." In March, 51 prisoners were released following Vatican mediation, and an Easter pardon benefited 2,010 individuals for common crimes, excluding all political prisoners.