The Cuban jurist and political scientist Roberto Veiga González, director of Cuba Próxima, analyzed on Wednesday the recent interview that Miguel Díaz-Canel granted to Brazilian journalist Breno Altman for Opera Mundi and concluded that this public appearance is part of the diplomatic efforts ongoing between the Plaza de la Revolución and the White House.
In her opinion, agreements in a negotiation move faster than statements, and Díaz-Canel's words lead her to believe that the dialogue is progressing and that the Cuban leader has been included in those conversations.
The interview, published on April 22, caught the attention of analysts due to the contrast between Díaz-Canel's somewhat more relaxed tone and his haggard and tense appearance in the interview with NBC News, recorded on April 9 and aired on the 12th of that same month.
"Clearly, the interviews he is giving, and this one in particular, are part of the management of the negotiations taking place between the Plaza de la Revolución and the White House," Veiga González pointed out.
In this context, Díaz-Canel described the discussions as a very preliminary and initial phase, while warning that if the red lines of the Cuban regime are crossed, there will be no negotiation. The leader also made it clear that the internal issues are not on the negotiating table .
Among the background of this diplomatic approach are the secret conversations with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, as well as the first U.S. government flight since 2016, which took place on April 10, during which representatives of the Trump Administration reportedly gave the Cuban regime a two-week deadline to release high-profile political prisoners; it is said that they offered to bring the high-speed internet service Starlink to Cuba, contingent on economic reforms; requested compensation for American citizens and businesses for confiscated properties, and the lifting of restrictions on political freedoms.
That two-week deadline expires on Friday, April 24.
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