US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Alex Brandon/Reuters The American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is holding secret talks with Raúl Castro’s grandson, amid pressure from the United States on Cuba, the American website Axios reported this Wednesday (18), citing three anonymous sources. American President Donald Trump has openly declared that he considers Cuba a “failed nation” and urged Havana to sign an agreement with the United States. Trump, however, dismissed the idea of an operation aimed at overthrowing the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel. According to Axios, Rubio, who was born in the United States to Cuban parents, held these conversations with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro outside the Cuban government. In early February, Trump stated that the United States was holding talks with Cuba “at the highest level”, but the American government has been discreet and refuses to provide details about the content or who they are being held with. The State Department and the Cuban embassy in Washington declined to comment on the Axios report. In January, Washington imposed an oil blockade on the island, following the successful seizure of Venezuela’s oil exports, which led to negotiations with Caracas. Cuba denounced the maneuver and then expressed its willingness to negotiate. The island faces severe fuel shortages and constant power cuts. See the videos that are trending on g1 The United States has still had a trade embargo for decades. Raúl Castro, 94, has officially withdrawn from all decision-making roles, but remains a central figure of power and maintains the loyalty of the Armed Forces. He succeeded his brother Fidel in 2006 and launched unprecedented reforms, but without ceding power or calling elections. In the mid-2010s, he led a short-lived rapprochement with the United States, which did not result in political opening either.
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Rubio maintains secret negotiations with Raúl Castro’s grandson, says American website
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