Cuba denies security threat accusations as US raises pressure 

The Cuban government has rejected accusations that it poses a threat to the security of the United States, insisting that it stands ready to cooperate with Washington.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Monday calling for dialogue and stressing that the Caribbean island does not support “terrorism”. The declaration comes amid a spike in tension after the abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro last month, which was part of President Donald Trump’s drive for US domination of the Western Hemisphere.

“The Cuban people and the American people benefit from constructive engagement, lawful cooperation, and peaceful coexistence,” the statement from Havana said.

“Cuba reaffirms its willingness to maintain a respectful and reciprocal dialogue, oriented toward tangible results, with the United States government, based on mutual interest and international law.”

The statement came hours after Trump said diplomatic contact with Cuba had been revived, noting that his administration is talking to the “highest people” in the Cuban government.

“Cuba is a failing nation for a long time. But now it doesn’t have Venezuela to prop it up,” Trump told reporters late on Sunday.

Venezuela was Cuba’s top energy supplier, but since US forces toppled Maduro, the flow of oil to the island has all but come to a halt.

The US has also been intercepting and seizing Venezuelan oil tankers in the Caribbean – a move that critics say amounts to piracy.

Beyond oil supplies, Cuba had close economic and security relations with Maduro’s government. Nearly 50 Cuban soldiers were killed during the abduction of the Venezuelan leader.

The Trump administration has also been pressuring Mexico to stop supplying Cuba with oil. A total energy siege could lead to a serious humanitarian crisis in the country.

Washington has had hostile relations with Havana since the rise of the late President Fidel Castro after the communist revolution that overthrew US-backed authoritarian leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

In 2021, during his first term, Trump listed Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism”.

Last week, the White House released a memorandum labelling the Cuban government an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the US.

The document accused Havana of aligning with “malign actors”, including China and Russia. That is despite the US itself seeking improved relations with Moscow and Beijing. A recently released US National Defence Strategy downplayed the pair as a security threat.

“The Cuban regime continues to spread its communist ideas, policies, and practices around the Western Hemisphere, threatening the foreign policy of the United States,” the White House memo said.

On Monday, the Cuban government denied these accusations, stressing that it does not host foreign military or intelligence bases.

“Cuba categorically declares that it does not harbor, support, finance, or permit terrorist or extremist organizations,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“Our country maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward the financing of terrorism and money laundering, and is committed to the prevention, detection, and combating of illicit financial activities, in accordance with international standards.”

The statement represents a softening of tones from a government in the Americas that has long represented defiance towards the US.

While the US has openly pushed to control Venezuela’s vast oil industry, Trump has suggested that his top demand from Cuba relates to the treatment of Cuban Americans – a large constituency for his Republican Party in the state of Florida.

“A lot of people that live in our country are treated very badly by Cuba,” Trump told reporters on Sunday.

“They all voted for me, and we want them to be treated well. We’d like to be able to have them go back to a home in their country, which they haven’t seen their family, their country for many, many decades.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent and a former Florida senator, has been pushing a hardline approach to Latin America.

On Sunday, Pope Leo said he was troubled by the escalating tensions between the US and Cuba.

“I echo the message of the Cuban bishops, inviting all responsible parties to promote a sincere and effective dialogue, in order to avoid violence and every action that could increase the suffering of the dear Cuban people,” the pope said in a social media post.