Overview
- Cuba, which confirmed on Monday that the talks took place in Havana, said the exchange was respectful and that U.S. officials did not issue threats or deadlines.
- The U.S. pressed for concrete steps that include freeing political prisoners, easing repression, opening the economy, compensation for confiscated assets, and a proposal to allow Starlink internet service.
- Cuban officials said lifting the U.S.-driven halt on fuel deliveries was their top goal, arguing the measure is economic coercion that has deepened shortages, rolling blackouts, and strains on hospitals and transport.
- The visit involved deputy-level State Department officials and marked the first U.S. government plane to land in Cuba outside Guantánamo since 2016, with one senior official also meeting Raul Castro’s grandson, according to reports.
- Pressure has escalated as President Donald Trump threatens tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba and hints at possible intervention, while President Miguel Díaz-Canel vows to resist, and no deal to lift the blockade has been announced.