Related videos:
The president Donald Trump posted a message on Tuesday stating that Cuba "is asking for help" and announced that there would be talks, just before departing for China on a state visit.
The full text of the post on Truth Social states: "No Republican has ever talked to me about Cuba, a failed country that is only heading in one direction: down! Cuba is asking for help, and we are going to talk! Meanwhile, I'm heading to China! President DJT."
The publication comes just before his trip to Beijing, scheduled from May 13 to 15, marking the first visit by a U.S. president to Chinese soil in nearly nine years.
The message comes after months of negotiations between Washington and Havana, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On March 7, Trump had already publicly revealed that "Marco Rubio is talking to Cuba" and joked that he might strike a deal.
On April 10, a U.S. delegation traveled to Havana on the first official aircraft from the United States to set foot on Cuban soil since 2016, according to details of that secret meeting that emerged days later.
However, the negotiations stalled due to the regime's refusal to meet Washington's demands.
The two-week ultimatum delivered on April 20 —which demanded the release of political prisoners such as Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo, in addition to political openness— expired on April 24 without a positive response.
Díaz-Canel was emphatic: “political prisoners are not on the negotiating table” and “surrender is not an option.”
Despite the standstill, Trump has not ruled out an agreement.
On May 1, an executive order was signed that introduces for the first time secondary sanctions against foreign banks and financial entities that operate with sanctioned Cuban entities, as part of a maximum pressure campaign that has accumulated over 240 sanctions since January 2026.
The trip to China adds a significant geopolitical dimension to Trump's new message.
On May 5, Beijing urged Washington to lift the sanctions against Cuba, and the U.S. administration is watching with concern the growing Chinese and Russian influence on the island.
The post, published just before departing for Beijing, can be interpreted as a signal that the Cuban issue might also be on the agenda in discussions with Xi Jinping.
Rubio, for his part, delivered a direct message to the regime on May 5: "Things are going to change."
Trump's statement does not specify what kind of discussions will take place or the timeline, leaving open the question of whether negotiations will regain momentum or if the regime will continue to reject the conditions that Washington has put on the table.
Filed under: