Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has acknowledged that diplomatic dialogue with the United States is stalled with no defined agenda, while dismissing suggestions that the island is on the verge of collapse.
Díaz-Canel described the economic situation as complex but marked by resilience. The economy has contracted more than 15 percent since 2020, compounded by a US oil blockade launched in January and secondary sanctions imposed from May. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Washington would cut off all possible escape routes for Cuba. Cuba approved 176 economic reforms in June, though Díaz-Canel insisted they do not amount to a capitalist restoration.
Díaz-Canel also ruled out a US military operation on Cuban soil similar to the capture of Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, saying Cuba's armed forces are prepared to repel any intervention.