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A senior official from the State Department confirmed this Tuesday to EFE that the U.S. delegation that traveled to Cuba on April 10 proposed to the regime to allow the installation of Starlink, the satellite internet service from SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, with the aim of providing "free, fast, and reliable connectivity across the island."
The initiative was part of the topics discussed during the meeting held in Havana, which marked the first landing of a U.S. government aircraft on Cuban territory since 2016.
The offering represents a direct challenge to the monopoly that ETECSA holds over telecommunications in Cuba, a system widely criticized for its slowness, high costs, and restrictions on access to information.
Elon Musk himself pointed out on March 17 on his X account that Starlink is already operational in Cuba, although it cannot be marketed due to the restrictions imposed by the regime.
In addition to the technological proposal, representatives of the Donald Trump administration insisted on the need for Havana to promote economic and governance reforms to enhance competitiveness and attract foreign investment.
Washington also reiterated its demand for the release of political prisoners and the expansion of civil liberties, while expressing concern about the alleged presence on the island of foreign intelligence services and groups deemed terrorist in close proximity to U.S. territory.
Among the names mentioned are artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo, members of the San Isidro Movement, whose release has been a constant demand from the U.S. administration.
The delegation also discussed potential compensation mechanisms for U.S. citizens and companies for properties confiscated after the 1959 revolution, a matter that is still under review in the U.S. judicial system.
During his stay, a high-ranking U.S. official held a separate meeting with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro, regarded by Washington as a key interlocutor within the real power in the island, beyond the formal role of President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
According to U.S. sources, Cuba has a limited window to implement reforms backed by Washington before the economic and social situation deteriorates irreversibly. In this regard, the Trump administration remains committed to a diplomatic solution, while warning that it will not allow the island to become a hotspot of instability for U.S. national security.
The Cuban regime confirmed the meeting on Monday through Alejandro García del Toro, the deputy director general in charge of the United States at the Foreign Ministry, who assured the official newspaper Granma that the meeting took place without deadlines or pressures.
This version contrasts with reports from U.S. media outlets such as USA Today, Fox News, and the Miami Herald, which discuss a two-week ultimatum for the release of high-profile political prisoners.
The dialogue takes place amidst a deep economic crisis on the island, with a cumulative contraction of 23% since 2019 and a forecasted GDP decline of 7.2% for 2026, worsened by the cut in Venezuelan oil supplies since January.
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