Cuba Denies Rift After Castro Grandson's Trump Remarks

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has dismissed speculation about divisions within the country's leadership following comments by the grandson of former President Raúl Castro. In an interview with USA Today, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro said he was open to negotiations with US President Donald Trump.

Rodríguez Castro, 42, known by the nickname El Cangrejo (The Crab), holds no official government position. However, his remarks have raised questions about differing views within Cuba's leadership over relations with the United States.

Marrero said on social media that contacts with US officials were aimed at resolving bilateral disputes through dialogue. He added that the negotiating team has the trust, support and mandate of Army General Raúl Castro as well as President and Communist Party First Secretary Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Senior Cuban foreign ministry officials have repeatedly said communication channels with Washington remain open, although bilateral relations have shown little sign of progress.

Tensions between Havana and Washington were also on display at the United Nations this week. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said the US fuel embargo and economic sanctions amounted to a systematic violation of human rights, while US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz blamed the Cuban government for the country's recurring power outages.

(Reuters, bak)