The Cuban government sent a clear message to Washington, making it clear that the country’s political structure and President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s stay in power are not the subject of the ongoing negotiations between the two states.
In a press conference that he gave, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Carlos Fernandez de Cosio, was categorical about Havana’s red lines: “I unequivocally confirm that Cuba’s political system is not up for negotiation. Likewise, neither the term of office of the President, nor the position of any other government official shall be a subject of transaction with the United States.”
The framework of the talks and the American pressures
The move comes at a critical juncture as Cuba has confirmed it has begun talks with the US government amid a deepening economic crisis exacerbated by an energy embargo imposed by Donald Trump.
According to a recent report by the New York Times, which cites four different sources, the American side is reportedly making it a condition for Díaz-Canel’s early departure from the presidency, two years before the official end of his term. It is noted that Díaz-Canel also holds the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba with a five-year term.
