Cuba’s Díaz-Canel Confirms Raúl Castro Role in Early U.S. Negotiations

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel revealed that former leader Raúl Castro is participating in preliminary discussions with the United States. The talks are occurring as Cuba faces severe power grid failures and an oil embargo imposed by President Trump.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed Wednesday that former leader Raúl Castro is participating in preliminary negotiations between Cuba and the United States.

During a videotaped interview with Spanish leftist leader Pablo Iglesias, Díaz-Canel acknowledged the discussions are happening while tensions escalate between the two countries. Cuba currently faces widespread electrical blackouts due to its deteriorating power infrastructure and an oil embargo enforced by President Trump, who has warned of tariffs against nations supplying oil to the island and recently stated he would have “the honor of taking Cuba” in the near future.

The Cuban government is managing these negotiations as a collective effort, Díaz-Canel explained to Iglesias during the hour-long interview broadcast on state media. Iglesias visited Cuba with a 600-member delegation from 33 nations who delivered humanitarian assistance last week.

“A process of conversations that leads to an agreement is a long process,” Díaz-Canel explained to Iglesias, who conducted the interview for his crowdfunded television program Canal RED.

“First, we must build a channel for dialogue. Then, we must build common agendas of interests for the parties, and the parties must demonstrate their intention to move forward and truly commit to the program based on the discussion of those agendas,” the Cuban president elaborated.

Trump issued threats in late January regarding tariffs on nations selling or supplying oil to Cuba as part of his push to transform the island’s political system.

While these initial warnings were later moderated in formal terms, the embargo continues, and Cuba has received no fuel deliveries over the past three months.

Extended power failures and virtual standstill of economic and social activities represent the visible impact on the island, which recently endured two complete electrical grid collapses within a week, leaving millions in darkness as Cuba’s power system continues deteriorating.

American officials have confirmed Cuba’s participation in negotiations, while Trump has made threats about taking control of the island in the near future.

Díaz-Canel provided a more measured response, stating that his representatives and U.S. State Department officials “held recent talks.”

He also responded to rumors about the involvement of 94-year-old Castro in these diplomatic efforts.

“The other thing they’ve tried to speculate about is that there are divisions within the leadership of the revolution,” Díaz-Canel stated, without identifying his targets.

Castro “is one of those who, along with me and in collaboration with other branches of the (Communist) Party, the government, and the State, has guided how we should conduct this dialogue process, if this dialogue process takes place,” the president continued.

He emphasized that Castro remains “the historical leader of this revolution, even though he has relinquished his responsibilities,” and retains “prestige earned with the people” through “historical recognition that no one can deny.”

Raúl Castro, who took over from his brother Fidel as president, conducted groundbreaking negotiations with former President Barack Obama in 2014 that resulted in embassy reopenings and restored diplomatic ties.

Trump has rejected this approach, implementing stricter sanctions and worsening a severe economic crisis to the point of the current energy embargo.