Cuban President Miguel-Diaz Canel says he won't step down despite the Trump administration's ongoing pressure on the Havana regime.
In a rare interview with NBC News, Diaz-Canel said "in Cuba, the people who are in leadership positions are not elected by the U.S. government, and they don't have a mandate from the U.S. government."
"We have a free sovereign state, a free state. We have self-determination and independence, and we are not subjected to the designs of the United States," he added, claiming that "stepping down is not part of our vocabulary."
A White House official reacted to the remarks, saying that the Trump administration is holding talks with the country and the president believes a deal can "be very easily made." "Cuba is a failing nation whose rulers have had a major setback with the loss of support from Venezuela," the official added.
Other reports have noted that the administration is holding talks with Cuban officials led by Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of Raul Castro and great-nephew of Fidel. He has appeared alongside senior Cuban officials in recent meetings and is now acting as an interlocutor in discussions with U.S. counterparts.
The emergence of Rodríguez Castro comes as the United States signals interest in broader negotiations over Cuba's political and economic future. According to reporting in early March, U.S. officials have explored potential reforms with figures connected to the Cuban leadership, including Rodríguez Castro, and have raised concerns about President Miguel Díaz-Canel, whom one source described as "an obstacle" to change.
Discussions have reportedly included the possibility of easing sanctions in exchange for reforms, though any leadership shift would represent a significant break with Cuba's longstanding emphasis on institutional continuity.
These developments are unfolding against a deepening economic and humanitarian crisis on the island. Fuel shortages, power outages and declining access to basic goods have intensified public discontent, while recent protests and acts of unrest signal growing strain. Analysts consulted by El País over the weekend describe a government "totally weakened," facing what some characterize as an existential challenge as external pressure increases.
However, several Democrats have criticized the pressure, and some have recently met with Diaz-Canel. He posted pictures of a meeting with them, saying he denounced before them the "criminal damage" caused by the U.S. blockade of the country.
"I reiterated our government's willingness to uphold bilateral, serious and responsible dialogue, and to find solutions to existing differences," the publication concludes.
The lawmakers who met with Diaz-Canel, Pramila Jayapal and Jonathan Jackson, released a statement of their own regarding their trip to Cuba, saying there is a blockade and it "must stop immediately."
