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Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz confirmed this Thursday that the regime is in talks with representatives of the United States government and stated that the team responsible for this process is operating with the direct backing of Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Through a series of posts on the social media platform X, Marrero reiterated that contacts with Washington are part of the Cuban government's official strategy.
"As President Díaz-Canel has stated, in line with the consistent policy of the Revolution, conversations have been held with representatives of the U.S. government aimed at seeking solutions, through dialogue, to bilateral differences," he wrote.
The leader added that the group responsible for the negotiations "has the trust, support, and mandate of the Army General and the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic," referring to Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The statements come amid the controversy surrounding the prominent role of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," the grandson of Raúl Castro and a colonel in the Ministry of the Interior, who has emerged in recent months as one of the main interlocutors of the regime in discussions with Washington.
On July 6, Rodríguez Castro made his first public appearance related to the process and stated that he was willing to "sacrifice himself for the Revolution." On the same day, the member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Elier Ramírez Cañedo, defended his role as negotiator and asserted that he was acting on the mandate of "the highest leadership of the country."
In his messages this Thursday, Marrero echoed the same argument used by the leadership of the Communist Party to respond to the criticisms against the process.
"Reputation assassinations, manipulations, and calls for disunity and division are part of a well-designed plan to create uncertainty and mistrust. Every step, at this decisive historical moment, is in defense of the Revolution and our sovereignty," he wrote.
Her statements represent one of the most explicit public confirmations to date of the support from the upper echelons of Cuban power for the team that is maintaining contact with the U.S. administration.
A dialogue with limited progress
Conversations between both governments began in early 2026.
On April 17, delegations from the United States and Cuba held a meeting in Havana led by officials from the State Department and the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, on May 14, the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, visited the island and met with "El Cangrejo", marking the highest-level visit by an official from the Donald Trump administration to Cuba.
Despite those contacts, the Cuban authorities have acknowledged that the negotiations are progressing slowly.
On July 1, Chancellor Bruno Rodríguez stated that the dialogue "shows no progress" and accused Washington of maintaining a policy of pressure and sanctions while holding diplomatic talks.
Days earlier, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal, had also acknowledged that the communication channel remains open, although "without much progress."
Marrero's statements come amid a deep economic and energy crisis in Cuba, characterized by prolonged blackouts, shortages of food and fuel, while the Trump administration maintains a policy of maximum pressure on Havana and demands, among other points, the release of political prisoners and progress in terms of rights and freedoms—conditions that the Cuban government deems unacceptable for a bilateral negotiation.
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