EXCLUSIVE: Cuba and US maintain 'channels of communication' but no negotiations, diplomat says - Reuters

Cuba and the United States continue to keep “channels of communication” open, but neither side is engaged in formal negotiations, according to Lianys Torres Rivera, the Cuban charge d’affaires at the embassy in Washington. In an interview on October 5, Torres Rivera said that while Cuba remains willing to pursue a respectful dialogue, it is “not naive” about President Donald Trump’s threats and has stepped up preparations to defend itself against any potential U.S. military action.

The diplomatic contacts between the two governments have taken the form of meetings, telephone calls and WhatsApp messages, but, she added, they have not produced any progress toward a negotiating agenda or the resumption of official talks. Torres Rivera declined to provide specifics on the timing, topics or participants of these exchanges.

Her remarks contrast with President Trump’s statements at the United Nations in September, where he claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was “deep into negotiations” with Havana. Trump has also described Cuba as a “failed state,” predicted that its government would collapse and said his administration’s goal is to fundamentally change Cuba’s political system. The Cuban delegation walked out of the UN session in protest of those remarks.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson responded that the Cuban comments constitute “propaganda” and indicated that the United States does not find the allegations surprising. The spokesperson did not elaborate on the nature of the communications between the two capitals.

The situation unfolds amid a broader U.S. pressure campaign against the communist‑ruled island, which includes heightened rhetoric from the Trump administration and ongoing diplomatic outreach that, according to Havana, has yet to translate into substantive negotiations.