HAVANA, March 13 (Reuters) – Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel is scheduled to address Cuban media on Friday in a rare appearance that comes amid a severe economic crisis and as the Communist government has come under increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The appearance “to address issues of national and international importance” is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT), Cuba’s government announced on Thursday night. Though it is rare for the Cuban president to face the media, foreign press was not invited, and if questions are allowed, they will come from carefully screened national reporters.
The address was billed as a continuation of a February 5 event when Diaz-Canel warned that Cuba was approaching a situation that would require “extreme measures” given the economic crisis, frequent power blackouts and fuel shortages exacerbated by Trump’s imposition of an oil blockade on the Caribbean island.
But Diaz-Canel also reaffirmed Cuba’s willingness to engage in talks with the United States, as long as Cuba was treated with respect and not subject to threats or preconditions.
Diaz-Canel could address repeated statements by Trump that the United States is already in high-level talks with Cuban representatives. The Cuban government has denied that any official encounters are underway but has not explicitly denied media reports of back-channel discussions.
Since the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and removed from power Cuba’s most important foreign benefactor in January, Trump has cut off Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened to slap tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba.
Trump in recent weeks had made a series of statements, saying Cuba was on the verge of collapse or eager to make a deal with the United States. On Monday he said Cuba may be subject to a “friendly takeover,” then added, “it may not be a friendly takeover.”
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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