Miguel Díaz-Canel rejected on Wednesday the notion that the package of 176 economic measures approved by the Cuban regime is a concession to the pressures from the Trump administration, stating directly: "Trump does not govern Cuba, nor does the U.S. government govern Cuba. Cuba is sovereign." He made this declaration in an interview on June 19 with Dominican journalist Roberto Cavada from the Corripio Communications Group, which was broadcast on Wednesday by Telenoticias.
Cavada's question was straightforward: are these reforms a response to Trump, who has labeled the Cuban government as inefficient? Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the "situation of maximum pressure" has accelerated decisions, but denied that Washington has dictated them. "Not because we are yielding to the pressure from the United States, but because we are seeking ways to overcome those pressures without jeopardizing the sovereignty, independence, and self-determination of our country," he stated according to the official site of the Cuban Presidency.
The leader insisted that the transformations are the result of internal debates that have been ongoing for 10 to 15 years, and he described them as "uniquely Cuban solutions, completely Cuban."
The interview takes place at a time of maximum tension between Havana and Washington: just four days before its airing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against five entities linked to the military conglomerate GAESA, including the Banco Financiero Internacional and Almacenes Universales S.A.
Vice Secretary Christopher Landau described Cuba as a "failed state" before the General Assembly of the OAS on Wednesday and demanded immediate political reforms, while the OAS unanimously approved a declaration calling for the restoration of democracy on the island.
Díaz-Canel also responded to Vice President JD Vance, who on June 18 had stated that if Cuba made "smart decisions," there would be "a much better relationship." The leader's response was blunt: "They will never understand what we do nor will they ever accept what we do, because what they aspire to is a Cuba that is completely dependent on the United States and a Cuba that is fully privatized."
Regarding the bilateral dialogue, Díaz-Canel confirmed that an established channel exists, but he set conditions: “One cannot converse or negotiate under pressure”, and he ruled out the possibility of the Cuban political system being on the negotiation table.
Regarding the energy crisis, Díaz-Canel acknowledged that in the last six months, only one fuel tanker arrived —the Russian vessel he described as "the most famous ship in the world"— and that Cuba has recovered more than 1,400 MW of distributed generation that it cannot use due to a lack of fuel. He pointed out that the photovoltaic parks installed in 2025 —over 1,000 MW— generate more than 50% of the country's energy during peak sunlight hours, which raised the share of renewable energy from 3% to 10%.
Regarding the offer of 100 million dollars in humanitarian aid from the United States, Díaz-Canel described it as a "joke" and a "farce." He pointed out that Cuba accepted it in writing, but nothing has arrived yet, that it does not include medicines or food—the most essential goods—and that it will not begin to be distributed until after September. "The blockade causes Cuba an annual loss of more than 5,000 million according to the latest estimates. They come with 100 million," he said.
The Trump administration has imposed over 240 sanctions against the regime since January 2026, under Executive Order 14404 signed on May 1 of that year, which includes secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that do business with the regime.
Díaz-Canel also warned that the threat of a U.S. military aggression "is present," although he assured that Cuba is preparing with a strategy "that is completely defensive" based on popular participation. His term ends in 2028.
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