Cuba confirms meeting with US officials on island, wants energy blockade lifted

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel recently attended a celebration in Havana marking the 65th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist proclamation. Amid ongoing tensions, Cuba confirmed a recent meeting with U.S. officials, the first since 2016, to discuss the U.S. energy blockade. The Cuban delegation, led by Alejandro García del Toro, emphasized the need to lift the embargo, calling it an unjust punishment and a form of global blackmail. The U.S. demands Cuba end political repression and release political prisoners as conditions for lifting sanctions. President Trump has threatened tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba and hinted at possible intervention, to which Cuba has vowed to resist. This situation highlights the complex relationship between the two nations and the impact of international policies on everyday Cubans. QUESTION: How might the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba influence the future of international relations and trade policies?