Cuba's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, reiterated on Monday the Cuban regime's willingness to engage in bilateral dialogue with the United States that includes cooperation in areas such as investment, migration, health, and the fight against drug trafficking.
The statements were made on Sunday during an interview on the conservative program "The Cats Roundtable," from the New York station 77 WABC, an unusual platform for a Cuban diplomat. Subsequently, Soberón summarized the main points of his speech on the social network X.
"We are in a difficult moment in the relationship between Cuba and the U.S., but this is not a new situation," he stated. The diplomat maintained that Havana aspires to "a different kind of relationship" with Washington that would be "beneficial not only for Cuba but also for the U.S."
Among the areas in which he proposed to expand cooperation, he mentioned migration, recalling that both countries maintain bilateral agreements aimed at promoting "regular, safe, and orderly" migration. He also highlighted collaboration in the fight against drug trafficking, pointing out that Cuba's geographical location in the Caribbean necessitates coordination between the two nations.
In terms of health, Soberón promoted Cuban biotechnological development and mentioned the island's advances in treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's, while in the economic sector, he stated that there are opportunities for American companies in areas like tourism, mining, agriculture, and oil production.
"We have a market of around 12, 13, 14 million people, which is a very interesting market for American companies, mainly those based in Florida," he stated.
The diplomat added that the Cuban government is willing to discuss "everything," including topics such as democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression, as long as the conversations take place based on the principles of "reciprocity, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs."
The statements contrast with the discourse recently maintained by the main Cuban authorities. On June 25, Miguel Díaz-Canel ruled out any political opening by stating that "Trump does not control Cuba" and that "there will be no capitalist restoration," in addition to reiterating that the government will not negotiate "under pressure."
Soberón's statement also comes at a time of significant deterioration in bilateral relations. On June 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against five entities linked to the GAESA military conglomerate, including the International Financial Bank and GeoMinera S.A., in response to the package of 176 economic measures approved by the Cuban National Assembly, which Washington described as "superficial smoke signals."
On the same day, the Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, described Cuba as a "failed state" during his speech at the 56th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Panama City.
Meanwhile, the Cuban economy continues to face one of its worst crises in decades. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) anticipates a contraction of 6.5% in Gross Domestic Product by 2026, in a context marked by prolonged blackouts, high inflation, and an increasing shortage of basic goods.
Despite the hardening of Washington's policy towards Havana, Marco Rubio himself acknowledged on June 4 during a Congressional appearance that there are "technocrats" within Cuba with whom the United States could work in a possible transition process, although he admitted that such dialogue becomes "more difficult the higher one goes up in the hierarchy," due to the influence of ideology within the regime.
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