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The Cuban chancellor Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla acknowledged this Monday, during a solidarity event for Cuba held in New Delhi, India, that Havana and Washington have started "a process of exchanges", while downplaying its significance by stating that "it is nothing extraordinary."
The statements come in the context of the highest increase in tensions between the two countries in decades, marked by two executive orders from the Trump administration and the visit of the CIA director to Havana just four days ago.
In his speech, Rodríguez combined the acknowledgment of those contacts with a fiery rhetoric of denunciation, stating that "Cuba is currently facing one of the most serious junctures in its contemporary history" and that the country is under "the threat of direct military aggression from the Government of the United States."
The chancellor referenced a statement by President Donald Trump from January 8, 2026, in a radio interview: "…well, I don't think we can exert much more pressure than to go in there and destroy everything."
Rodríguez described the executive order signed by Trump on May 1 as "an act of war" equivalent to "a naval blockade," as it introduces secondary sanctions applicable to any foreign company or entity that operates with Cuba, even without ties to the U.S. economy.
The order from January 29, which imposes tariffs on countries exporting fuel to Cuba, was described by the regime as a "total energy blockade" that adds to more than 60 years of accumulated sanctions and the 243 coercive measures introduced since 2019.
The most visible turning point in bilateral contacts was the visit of the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, to Havana last Wednesday, where he met with Cuban Interior Minister Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas and Ramón Romero Curbelo, head of the Intelligence Directorate of MININT.
The Communist Party of Cuba confirmed that meeting in an official statement, presenting it as an exchange to contribute to the "political dialogue" between both countries.
According to reports from Axios and USA Today, Ratcliffe conveyed a message from Trump expressing a willingness to address economic and security issues, but conditioned on Cuba making "fundamental changes" and no longer being a "safe haven" for Washington's adversaries in the hemisphere.
The CIA also warned that the "window of opportunity" for dialogue would not remain open indefinitely.
In parallel, the U.S. offered 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid for Cuba, with distribution planned through the Catholic Church and independent organizations. The regime first denied having received the offer, calling it a "tale," but last Wednesday backtracked and stated that it was "willing to listen" to its details.
Trump himself had anticipated the shift last Monday by posting on Truth Social: “Cuba is asking for help, and we’re going to talk!”
In his speech in New Delhi, Rodríguez emphasized that Cuba will not yield on essential matters: "Our desire is to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, the spilling of blood, and the death of both our compatriots and young Americans," he stated, while warning that any military aggression would find "a united people, ready to confront any aggression against our homeland."
The existence of contacts between both governments is not new: Díaz-Canel confirmed them in March 2026, describing the process as "very sensitive" and requesting that it be handled discreetly, according to Prensa Latina.
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