On Sunday, Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged in his first interview with U.S. television that he has never spoken to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and does not know him personally. This revelation highlights the current state of negotiations between Cuba and Washington amidst one of the most severe bilateral crises in decades.
The interview was granted to NBC News' "Meet the Press," hosted by Kristen Welker in Havana, and aired today as a full 53-minute segment.
When asked directly if he was in communication with Rubio and if he trusted him, Díaz-Canel responded candidly, "No, I have not spoken to Secretary Rubio. I don't know him."
The Cuban leader indicated that Cuba is open to negotiations with "whoever the United States decides," but emphasized that a dialogue channel needs to be established first and a common agenda developed.
This admission is in stark contrast to statements made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who confirmed last Tuesday that negotiations with Cuba continue at the highest level.
Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal described these discussions as being in a very preliminary phase, with no formal structured negotiations, as of last Tuesday.
Díaz-Canel firmly rejected the conditions Washington has set for an agreement, which include the release of political prisoners, multiparty elections, recognition of unions, and a free press.
"No one has made those demands of us. We have established that respect for our political system and constitutional order are matters not open for negotiation with the United States," he asserted.
Regarding the more than 1,200 political prisoners reported by the organization Prisoners Defenders, including rapper Maykel "Osorbo" Castillo Pérez — imprisoned since 2021 for co-writing "Patria y Vida," a song that won two Latin Grammy awards — Díaz-Canel denied they are political prisoners, labeling them as individuals who committed "vandalism" financed by "terrorist organizations and U.S. government agencies."
"The narrative that has been created, the image that anyone who speaks against the revolution is jailed, is a great lie, it's a slander," he declared.
The interview comes at a time of heightened tension between the two nations, reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by the U.S. in January 2026, Cuba lost between 26,000 and 35,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil daily. Mexico halted its shipments on January 9 under pressure from Washington, leaving the island without 80-90% of its oil imports.
Díaz-Canel admitted that the Russian tanker that arrived in late March with 730,000 barrels of crude as "humanitarian aid" would "only cover a third of Cuba's monthly oil needs," and that 1,200 megawatts of generating capacity have been offline for four months.
In response to President Trump's threats to "take Cuba" amid the backdrop of Maduro's capture and the invasion of Iran, Díaz-Canel declared he was unafraid: "I am not afraid. I am willing to give my life for the revolution."
When Welker asked if he would consider stepping down to save Cuba, the leader countered with a question of his own: "Is that question coming from you or from the U.S. State Department?"
The last time a Cuban leader appeared on "Meet the Press" was Fidel Castro in 1959, 67 years ago.
Key Insights on Cuba-U.S. Relations
What did Díaz-Canel reveal about his communication with Marco Rubio?
Díaz-Canel admitted he has never spoken to Marco Rubio and does not know him personally, which underscores the current state of negotiations between Cuba and the U.S.
What are the main conditions set by the U.S. for negotiating with Cuba?
The U.S. conditions include the release of political prisoners, holding multiparty elections, recognizing unions, and establishing a free press.
How did Díaz-Canel respond to the U.S. conditions for negotiation?
He firmly rejected these conditions, stating that respect for Cuba's political system and constitutional order are not open for negotiation with the United States.