Cuba says US talks have stopped as embargo losses reach US$8 billion
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez says Havana has no agenda for future negotiations with Washington as Cuba reports prolonged blackouts and worsening shortages.
Cuba says contacts with the United States have stopped and that there is no agenda for future negotiations, as Havana reports mounting economic pressure and a worsening energy crisis.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez made the statement on 7 September during a media conference. Cuban and US officials held talks earlier in 2026, but the reported contacts did not continue.
The Cuban government estimates the US embargo caused US$8 billion in economic losses between March 2025 and February 2026, a figure it says is seven per cent higher than in the previous reporting period. The estimate has not been independently verified in the available source material.
Cuba says the embargo, which has been in place since 1959, contributes to shortages, economic hardship and prolonged blackouts. Rodríguez described months in which some households have had electricity for only two or three hours a day or less.
The diplomatic dispute is due to return to the United Nations, with the General Assembly scheduled to consider Cuba’s annual resolution calling for an end to the embargo on 27–28 October. The source material does not include a US response or independently confirm the voting schedule.
