Bruno Rodríguez Criticizes U.S. for Lack of Progress in Dialogue

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla acknowledged ongoing contact with U.S. officials, but he heavily criticized Washington, attributing the lack of progress to what he described as the "restrictive and misunderstanding attitude of the American side."

"I shouldn't delve into specifics, but I can confirm that there have been some episodes of conversation and reiterate our willingness to continue them in the future despite the lack of results due to the American side's restrictive and misunderstanding approach," Rodríguez stated in an exclusive interview with NBC News during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The discussion with NBC's Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell occurred on Wednesday, a day after President Donald Trump labeled Cuba as a "completely failed state" at the General Assembly and predicted the regime's eventual fall, prompting the Cuban delegation to walk out in protest.

Rodríguez described Trump's speech as "very aggressive, not just against Cuba, but regarding the international community as a whole," rejecting the notion that Cuba poses a threat to U.S. security.

The Controversial Dialogue

When Mitchell asked if Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of Raúl Castro, was involved in these discussions, Rodríguez declined to answer directly but confirmed that "representatives appointed by the Cuban government have engaged in talks with their American counterparts."

This secretive stance contrasts with President Trump's claim at the UN that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was "deeply involved" in negotiations with Havana.

U.S. Intentions and Cuban Responses

Rubio expressed willingness to work with certain regime figures open to steering Cuba toward freedom but warned that there are individuals with whom the U.S. "can never work because their hands are stained with blood."

In response to this assertion, Rodríguez curtly replied, "Lies, lies again."

The Secretary of State also acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge: "You can't undo over six decades of mismanagement, corruption, and incompetence in six months," but assured that Washington is "ready to assist" if Havana makes genuine strides toward change.

Impact of U.S. Policies on Cuban Population

Regarding the crisis affecting the Cuban people, Rodríguez blamed the power outages and shortages on the energy embargo imposed by the Trump administration, describing the situation as "extremely painful" and labeling it a "true act of collective punishment" and "genocide, as defined by international conventions."

He further claimed that infant mortality on the island has doubled, rising from four deaths per 1,000 live births to 9.9, due to a lack of medicines and medical equipment.

The regime, however, omits from this narrative its decades of failed economic management under the one-party system, which long preceded the more recent sanctions.

Geopolitical Tensions and Military Considerations

The interview took place against a backdrop of heightened tension: CBS News reported on Friday that the U.S. Army Reserve is assessing the availability of military units for the Southern Command within 90 to 120 days, a plan linked by U.S. officials to Cuba, although no deployment orders have been confirmed.

Rubio did not rule out the use of force but emphasized that Washington prefers to resolve the situation "through negotiated, political means, without resorting to military force."