In an interview with journalist Roberto Cavada from the Corripio Communications Group in the Dominican Republic, held on June 19 at the Palace of the Revolution and broadcast on June 24, Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted the seizure of Nicolás Maduro and actions against Iran as key reasons for his skepticism towards any negotiation process with the Trump administration.
The Cuban leader was explicit in pointing out what he perceives as a consistent pattern in Washington's behavior: "When there was supposed to be a dialogue process with Venezuela, they attacked Venezuela and kidnapped the president and his wife, removing them from the country in a totally illegal action against international law. When there was supposed to be a dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran, they attacked Iran."
Adding to these instances, Díaz-Canel referenced historical precedents in Iraq, Libya, and Syria, as well as U.S. support for Israel in Gaza, to conclude that "all these elements also create significant distrust among the Cuban people when considering any type of negotiation."
These remarks come amid heightened tensions. On January 3, 2026, Operation Absolute Resolve led to the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in Caracas by U.S. special forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 Venezuelan soldiers and four civilians. Díaz-Canel uses this event as evidence that Washington can simultaneously engage in dialogue and military action.
Despite his declared mistrust, the Cuban leader stated that Havana maintains an open communication channel with the United States, although he emphasized that certain conditions are non-negotiable: "We cannot talk or negotiate under pressure, without pressures, and certainly not with dialogue conditioned on a change in our political system or anything affecting our sovereignty, independence, or self-determination."
The regime also dismissed the notion that the 176 economic measures approved by the National Assembly on June 19—representing the largest reform package since the Special Period, including private banking, foreign franchises, and private exchange houses—are a concession to Trump's pressures. "Trump does not rule Cuba, nor does the American government. Cuba is sovereign," Díaz-Canel asserted, describing the reforms as "uniquely Cuban solutions" resulting from internal debate over 10 to 15 years.
When questioned by the journalist if, given the "smart" nature of these measures, there would be improved relations—referring to Vice President JD Vance's June 18 statement that if Cuba made "smart decisions," there would be "much better relations"—Díaz-Canel responded unequivocally: "I believe they will never understand what we do, nor will they ever accept what we do, because their aspiration is for a Cuba that is completely dependent on the United States and entirely privatized."
Regarding the $100 million humanitarian aid offer announced by Washington, Díaz-Canel called it a "joke," noting that nothing has arrived on the island, distribution will not occur until after September, and it excludes the most scarce products in Cuba: medicines and food.
The leader also acknowledged the real threat of military aggression: "The danger of U.S. military aggression towards Cuba is latent. It is latent, especially because they constantly manipulate and express it in their rhetoric." This warning comes weeks after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed from CENTCOM that an operation to "capture or eliminate" Díaz-Canel "remains an option."
Díaz-Canel concluded his stance with a phrase summarizing the regime's strategy against Washington's pressure: "By expressing our willingness to dialogue, we are also preparing for no surprises or defeat."
Cuban-U.S. Diplomatic Tensions and Economic Reforms
What reasons did Díaz-Canel give for distrusting the Trump administration?
Díaz-Canel cited the capture of Nicolás Maduro, attacks on Iran, and historical examples involving Iraq, Libya, and Syria as reasons for his distrust. He views these actions as evidence of Washington's pattern of engaging in dialogue while simultaneously attacking.
How has Cuba responded to U.S. economic pressures?
Cuba has implemented 176 economic measures, the largest reform package since the Special Period, including private banking and foreign franchises. Díaz-Canel insists these are not concessions to U.S. pressures but are instead "uniquely Cuban solutions" developed through internal debate.
What is Díaz-Canel's stance on U.S. humanitarian aid?
Díaz-Canel dismissed the $100 million humanitarian aid offered by Washington as a "joke," noting that it has not arrived in Cuba and will not be distributed until after September. He also criticized the aid for not including medicines or food, which are critically scarce in Cuba.