The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, asserted that the regime will not yield to the pressures from the United States and defended that the island will maintain its sovereignty in the face of tightening U.S. sanctions. His statements were made during an interview granted to the Al Jazeera channel last Thursday from Havana, in a context marked by the deterioration of bilateral relations and the deep economic and energy crisis the country is facing.
The phrase that the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted on the social media platform X as a summary of the official stance was clear: "Cuba will not accept less than what it enjoys today and what it achieved nearly 70 years ago: full sovereignty and the full rights of the Cuban nation."
Fernández de Cossío stated that the increase in pressures from Washington is due to two factors. The first is the foreign policy of the Donald Trump administration, which he characterized as "extremely hostile" and aimed at imposing its objectives through the use of military and economic power. The second is the influence of the anti-Castro lobby in the United States, which he described as "a very small minority but with significant influence," that—according to his claims—has achieved an unprecedented level of access to U.S. foreign policy and seeks to impose its agenda on Cuba.
The deputy minister stated that since the beginning of 2026, Washington has imposed around 250 sanctions against the island and characterized this policy as an "economic war" aimed at "making life unbearable for the Cuban people through collective punishment."
The interview took place just one day after the United States announced a new round of sanctions against nine entities and two Cuban officials, aimed at the energy sector, alleged operations to evade restrictions by GAESA, and the medical missions program.
Dialogue without progress
Regarding the state of conversations between both countries, Fernández de Cossío confirmed that there is a communication channel initiated by Washington and accepted by Havana, although he insisted that the Cuban government does not view it as a formal negotiation.
"The dialogue has not advanced much because the United States remains entrenched in the mistaken belief that it can impose its conditions on Cuba and extract concessions regarding our political and constitutional system," he stated.
His statements align with those made on July 1 by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who acknowledged that the dialogue "shows no progress," as well as with those of Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, who confirmed that the negotiating team is acting with the support of Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel.
"None of those options is acceptable."
When asked about the possibility that U.S. pressures could evolve into a scenario similar to that of Puerto Rico or the situation in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January 2026, the deputy minister responded that "none of those options are acceptable for Cuba."
He also warned that a possible U.S. military action "will not be easy" and could result in a "bloodbath," with casualties on both the Cuban and American sides.
Regarding a possible international mediation, he noted that both governments can communicate directly through their embassies, although he did not rule out the involvement of a third country that, in his opinion, respects international law and the sovereignty of Cuba.
On the same Thursday of the interview, Fernández de Cossío also reacted to the new sanctions announced by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, describing them as "an open war against the entire population," in a new escalation of tensions between Havana and Washington.
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