The Foreign Minister of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguezinsisted this Friday that the island will not accept the “peace through imperialist force” from the US and defended diplomatic channels for “cooperation and peaceful settlement of disputes”.
“We will never accept threats (…) and we will defend our independence and constitutional order at all costs,” the head of diplomacy declared on social networks when commemorating the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.
Rodríguez pointed out that, in an “increasingly aggressive global context,” Cuba reiterates its commitment to “multilateralism, diplomacy, dialogue and peace, based on international law.”
YOU CAN SEE: Díaz-Canel: Cuba has “the responsibility to defend itself” in the face of US aggression.
He also denounced that the main world power (in reference to the US) “applies doctrines of domination that constantly threaten international peace, stability and security.”
The Cuban authorities recognized this Monday the celebration on April 10 on the island of a meeting between representatives of both governments, days after the meeting was leaked in three American media outlets -Axios, The New York Times and USA Today-, all with anonymous sources.
This information indicated that Washington demanded that the Cuban side release within a period of two weeks – which theoretically would be met this Friday – relevant political prisoners, among them the dissident artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Maykel Osorbo.
According to these media, the release of prisoners would be an initial gesture of good will, which should then be followed by a series of changes on the island, essentially profound economic and political reforms.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump; and the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel. (Annabelle GORDON / Juan BARRETO / AFP)
However, the deputy director general in charge of the US in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Alejandro García del Toro, denied that “deadlines” or “commanding approaches” were established at the meeting, according to a brief message in the official newspaper Granma.
García del Toro also said that the Cuban side insisted in that meeting on “the elimination of the energy siege against the country,” in reference to the oil blockade imposed by Washington on the island since January.
On March 13, the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, acknowledged contacts between the island and the United States, weeks after the American president, Donald Trump, declared that both countries were negotiating.
