Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, stated on September 7, 2025, that there are currently no negotiations or plans for future talks with the United States, despite the ongoing “genocidal” U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Rodriguez emphasized that while there is a willingness to maintain contact, there has been no progress in discussions. He reported that the economic damages caused by the embargo increased by 7% in 2025 to $8.1 billion, with further financial strain anticipated in early 2026 due to a recent U.S. oil blockade that has severely impacted Cuba’s energy production and led to prolonged nationwide blackouts 1.
Rodriguez asserted that the embargo primarily affects the Cuban population rather than the government, citing hardships such as limited electricity, food spoilage, and difficulties in daily life, including children struggling to study in near darkness. The U.S. State Department did not provide an immediate response to these remarks. The United States maintains that the sanctions are necessary to compel changes in the Cuban government, which the Trump administration accuses of restricting economic and human rights. Conversely, the United Nations has denounced the tightened U.S. sanctions and energy restrictions as violations of international law, with U.N. experts warning of heightened risks of disease outbreaks due to deteriorating health and infrastructure conditions in Cuba 1.
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HAVANA, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Cuba’s top diplomat said on Monday there are no talks underway with the United States, nor were there any plans for future negotiations, amid a “genocidal” blockade that Cuba says has cost the island nation over $8 billion in economic damages in the last year. “There are no negotiations or agendas, although a willingness to stay in contact remains despite the lack of progress,” Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, told reporters at a press conference in Havana. Rodriguez said that damages caused by the decades-old U. S. trade embargo against Cuba had jumped 7 percent in 2025 versus the previous year, to $8.1 billion. Cuba’s foreign minister said the financial hit to Cuba
s economy would balloon in the first months of 2026, after the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade on the island that has all but decimated output and led to nationwide blackouts that now span days. "The blockade doesn't punish the government, it punishes every person (on the island) in every way," Cubas top diplomat said. “It means long months spent living with only 2 or 3 hours of electricity a day or less, food spoiling, heat that makes it impossible to sleep, children doing their homework in near darkness.” The U. S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rodriguez’s remarks. The U. S., which regards the Cuban government as presenting national security concerns, has previously said the blockade and stepped-up sanctions are necessary to force a change to the communist-run government, which the Trump administration accuses of limiting Cuban’s economic and human rights. The United Nations has called the Trump sanctions and energy siege a violation of international law. A team of U. N. experts in August warned of a growing risk of disease outbreaks on the island as the U. S. has tightened sanctions. The U. S. also warned recently in a health alert of a spike in intestinal illnesses and diarrhea caused by failing water and electricity supply on the island. (Reporting by Ayose Naranjo; Writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Edmund Klamann) - https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/cubas-foreign-minister-says-no-185028923.html ↩ ↩2