HAVANA — Cuba’s government on Monday confirmed it recently met with U.S. officials on the island as tensions persist over Washington’s energy embargo.
Senior U.S. State Department officials, speaking anonymously, had said Friday that American diplomats flew to Cuba earlier in April for the first such visit since 2016 as part of a new diplomatic effort. Neither side has specified the exact date or which U.S. officials attended.
Alejandro García del Toro, deputy director general for U.S. affairs at Cuba’s Foreign Ministry, said the U.S. delegation included assistant secretaries of state and that the Cuban side was represented at the deputy foreign minister level.
He described the exchange as “respectfully and professionally” conducted and disputed U.S. media reports that the delegation issued threats or deadlines.
“The elimination of the energy embargo against the country was a top priority for our delegation,” García del Toro said, calling the measure “an unjustified punishment of the entire Cuban population.” He added that the embargo amounted to “a form of global blackmail against sovereign states, which have every right to export fuel to Cuba, under the rules that govern free trade.”
Washington has tied any easing of sanctions to Cuban steps on human rights and political reforms, including ending political repression, releasing political prisoners and liberalizing the economy.
In late January, President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba and also warned of possible intervention. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said last week the country is prepared to fight if intervention occurs.
