Cuba’s foreign minister observes ‘no progress’ in US negotiations

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez has described negotiations with the United States as hitting a wall, with no breakthroughs made towards ending sanctions against the Caribbean island. “The discussions between the Cuban and US governments are showing no progress,” Rodriguez told a news conference on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list He proceeded to reflect on the ongoing negotiations with the government of US President Donald Trump, who has heightened pressure on the Caribbean island since returning to office for a second term. “The conduct of US government delegations — generally respectful — has been accompanied by constant threats against Cuba, the application of coercive measures, and offensive statements regarding our country’s independence,” Rodriguez said. Since the 1960s, the US has imposed a total trade embargo on Cuba, as part of a long-running dispute with the island’s communist leadership. But Trump has signalled he would like to see regime change in Cuba, and in January, he effectively severed Cuba’s supply of foreign oil by threatening tariffs against any country that provided it with fuel. Trump has also mused about taking military action against Cuba once the US-Israel war against Iran comes to a close. In March, Cuban officials confirmed they were in talks with the Trump administration, though the details of those negotiations have not been confirmed. …