The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, confirmed on Thursday that the Donald Trump administration is engaged in active discussions with the Cuban regime to explore possible changes in the bilateral relationship, a statement that represents the highest-level public acknowledgment so far of the ongoing contacts between Washington and Havana.
The revelation came during a press conference at the White House, after journalist Juan Esteban Silva asked whether Cuba would be "the next" priority of U.S. foreign policy following the recent agreement reached with Iran.
Although he initially referred the question to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vance ultimately provided a direct answer regarding the situation on the island and the ongoing discussions.
"We want the Cuban people to be happy and successful. In fact, we are currently discussing with the Cuban government how they could change their approach to transform that situation," he stated.
The vice president made it clear that any improvement in relations will depend on concrete decisions from Havana.
"If they do one thing, we will do another. If they make smart decisions, we will have a much better relationship with that island," he stated.
Vance also took the opportunity to launch a strong criticism of the Cuban economic model, which he blamed for the crisis the country is facing.
"Fundamentally, in Cuba there is a system that has not worked. They cannot generate wealth. Their economy, frankly, is probably in worse shape than the Iranian economy," he declared.
The vice president also highlighted Cuba's geographical proximity as a matter of strategic interest for the United States.
"It is just 90 miles from our shores, so every time there is a crisis, we end up with desperate refugees or people who cannot feed their families trying to arrive in large numbers in our country," he stated.
The statements come at a time of increasing pressure from Washington on the Cuban regime. For weeks, senior officials in the Trump administration have hinted that Cuba holds a prominent place among the foreign policy priorities now that the agreement with Iran has been reached.
President Donald Trump himself affirmed in early June that he would address the Cuban situation after resolving the Iranian issue, while describing the regime in Havana as a "failed nation."
Contacts between both governments had previously been acknowledged by other U.S. officials. In May, the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, visited Havana to meet with representatives from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and convey messages from the Trump administration.
Days later, Marco Rubio publicly confirmed the existence of conversations, although he expressed doubts about the regime's willingness to undertake substantial changes.
"Honestly, I don't see much progress," said the head of U.S. diplomacy.
At the end of May, Rubio reiterated that the economic reforms announced by Cuban authorities were insufficient.
"The things they announce regarding the economy are cosmetic, not real. Because for years they have gotten used to buying time and waiting for us to withdraw," he stated.
The confirmation made by Vance also coincided with an unusual movement within Cuba. This Thursday, the Communist Party presented a broad package of economic reforms to the National Assembly that includes more space for private initiative, new facilities for foreign investment, increased autonomy for state-owned enterprises and municipalities, as well as mechanisms to ease imports and exports.
Miguel Díaz-Canel defended the measures as a necessary update to the economic model and stated that they were designed after studying the experiences of countries like China and Vietnam.
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