Related videos:
The Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga held a meeting this Thursday in Madrid with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Minister of Economy Carlos Cuerpo, as part of a new diplomatic offensive by the regime to seek European economic support amidst the deep crisis facing the island.
The official confirmed the meeting on his X account, posting a photograph with the flags of Cuba, Spain, and the European Union in the background.
"I appreciated your country's stance on the complex situation facing Cuba due to the intensification of the U.S. blockade and the energy siege we are enduring," said Pérez-Oliva.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that during the meeting, they discussed "the critical situation in Cuba and its serious consequences for the citizens and the economy of the island."
The visit to Madrid comes just a week after Pérez-Oliva participated in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, where he presented investment opportunities to Russian companies in energy, refineries, transportation, tourism, and mining.
The Minister of Foreign Trade stated that Cuba is the country in Latin America "where Russian companies can operate with complete confidence."
This dual agenda —seeking alternative investors in Moscow while requesting protection from Madrid— illustrates the regime's strategy in response to the economic blockade imposed by the Trump administration.
The Pérez-Oliva tour comes at a time of heightened pressure on Spanish companies operating in Cuba.
The Executive Order 14404, signed by Donald Trump on May 1, 2026, established secondary sanctions for foreign companies with ties to GAESA —the Cuban military conglomerate that controls approximately 40% of the island's economy— and set June 5 as the deadline to sever those links.
As a direct consequence, Iberostar stopped operating 12 of its 18 hotels in Cuba as of June 1, and Meliá announced the cessation of operations in 15 establishments linked to the military conglomerate on June 3.
To these chains, Canadian Blue Diamond Resorts, shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM, and Sabadell Bank were added, among other companies that left Cuba due to U.S. sanctions.
On June 5th, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States (OFAC) formally blocked the economic and military leadership of the regime, adding Díaz-Canel himself, his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza, his stepson Manuel Anido Cuesta —who resides in Madrid—, Alejandro Castro Espín, and his son Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis to its list of specially designated nationals.
Days before Pérez-Oliva's visit, Díaz-Canel demanded that Spain and the EU "protect their businesses and citizens" against Washington's "extraterritorial laws," and described Trump's strategy as an attempt to "suffocate Cuba to provoke a social explosion and have a pretext for intervention."
Pérez-Oliva Fraga, 54 years old, is the great-nephew of Fidel and Raúl Castro. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Trade in May 2024 and promoted to Vice Prime Minister in October 2025, becoming one of the highest-ranking officials in the regime on this tour seeking international support.
Filed under: