Havana: Cuba held recent talks with the US government, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Friday, marking the first time that the Caribbean country confirmed such speculation.
Diaz-Canel said in a speech that the talks “were aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences between our two nations. International factors facilitated these exchanges.”
He didn’t elaborate on those factors, or provide any details about the talks.
The White House didn’t return an immediate request for comment on the talks with Cuba.
Diaz-Canel said that no petroleum shipments have arrived on the island in the past three months, which he blamed on a US energy blockade.
He said that Cuba is running on natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants, and that the depletion of fuel oil and diesel forced two power plants to shut down and has limited the generation of power at solar parks.
Cuba’s western region was hit by a major blackout last week, leaving millions without power.
He said that Cuba, which produces 40 per cent of its petroleum, has been generating its own power, but that it hasn’t been sufficient to meet demand.
The Cuban leader said that the lack of power has affected communications, education and transportation, and that the government has had to postpone surgeries for tens of thousands of people as a result.
“The impact is tremendous,” Diaz-Canel said.