UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥� Havana will not abide by any American 鈥渦ltimatums鈥� to release political prisoners as , a Cuban diplomat said Thursday, while asserting that leaders are 鈥減reparing for all scenarios鈥� if U.S. President Donald Trump makes good on in the island nation.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Cuban Ambassador to the U.N. Ernesto Sober贸n Guzm谩n said internal issues regarding detainees 鈥渁re not on the negotiating table.鈥� The release of political prisoners was a key U.S. demand as the longtime adversaries .
鈥淲e have our legal system, like here in the U.S., they have their legal system,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o we have to respect both of our internal affairs.鈥�
In response, the State Department said in a statement that the administration remains 鈥渃ommitted to the release of all political prisoners.鈥�
鈥淭he Cuban regime should stop playing games as direct talks are occurring. They have a small window to make a deal,鈥� the statement continued.
An American delegation arrived for secret meetings in Havana on April 10 in a diplomatic push to urge Cuba to make major changes to its economy and political governance or face continued economic pressure and . Neither side has named who took part, but Guzm谩n said it was at the undersecretary of state level for the Americans and deputy foreign minister level for the Cubans.
Despite the recent revival in diplomatic relations, have steadily increased in the last few months over a U.S. energy blockade that has further strained economic and other crises in the .
Trump has on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba and said the U.S. might have 鈥渢he honor of taking Cuba鈥� following military operations in Venezuela and Iran. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Guzm谩n’s remarks.
The blockade, coupled with the island鈥檚 , has deepened poverty and increased hunger across Cuba as severe blackouts persist.
In late March, a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels became the first fuel shipment Cuba had received in three months. Guzm谩n said that the shipment has been able to fulfill only a fraction of what the country needs to operate.
Other concerns the U.S. raised during the meeting this month centered on the influence of foreign powers on the island, the AP has reported. The Americans also discussed proposals to compensate hundreds of thousands of whose homes, businesses and land were seized after revolutionary leader Fidel Castro took power in 1959.
Guzm谩n confirmed that such compensation was among the topics at the meeting and that Havana is receptive to it. But, he added, that it could only happen in conjunction with reciprocal economic relief for the decadeslong economic embargo against Cuba.
鈥淭here is not only this claim but also the claim from our side because the embargo has an economic impact,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a highway with two directions.鈥�
Asked whether Cuban officials can trust diplomatic efforts amid U.S. threats, Guzm谩n said that while they are optimistic about creating a 鈥渘ew approach鈥� to U.S.-Cuban relations, the Trump administration’s foreign policy approach in the last year has put them on high alert.
鈥淲e have been seeing what is happening all around the world, in our region, in the Middle East, so we are not a naive person,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are preparing for all the scenarios. And I insist, our first option 鈥� what we really want 鈥� is a successful dialogue with the U.S. government.鈥�
But, he added, if U.S. military aggression were to happen, 鈥渨e are ready to fight back.鈥�
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