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Miguel Díaz-Canel said Cuba is a free, independent and sovereign country and rejected calls by President Donald Trump to reach an agreement with Washington, saying no one can dictate Havana’s decisions.
In a statement on social media, Díaz-Canel responded to Trump’s warning that Cuba should make a deal “before it is too late,” stressing that the island has faced US aggression for 66 years and has never been an aggressive state.
He added that the Cuban people are ready to defend their country and cannot be threatened.
Trump said Cuba had long relied on oil and money from Venezuela in exchange for providing security services, claiming this arrangement had ended after a recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
He warned that no oil or money would now go to Cuba and urged Havana to strike a deal with Washington.
Following the operation, Trump said Venezuela was under US protection and that Washington would oversee the country and its oil assets during a transition period after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
Cuban officials rejected Trump’s accusations, saying Cuba has never received payment for security services and has the right to trade freely with any country.
They said Havana will not accept pressure or threats and emphasized that international law supports Cuba’s position.
Tensions rose after the US operation in Venezuela earlier this month, which led to Maduro’s removal and the swearing-in of Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as interim president, prompting reactions across the region and renewed friction between Washington and Havana.
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