Cuba blackout crisis deepens as Havana offers ‘serious dialogue’ to US

Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Friday said that the nation is ready for a "serious and responsible dialogue" without any potential scope for interference in the nation's internal affairs. This comes as the nation suffered from the second nationwide blackout on Saturday, March 21, in less than a week. Rodriguez made the comments in a meeting of the CELAC summit (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States). But he denied the possibility of any negotiation involving the political system or the terms of the President.

"I can categorically confirm that ... the political system of Cuba is not up for negotiation, and of course, neither the president nor the position of any official in Cuba is subject to negotiation with the United States," said Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio.

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Cuba's Energy Ministry said in a post on X on Saturday that a "total disconnection" of the energy system had taken place and the ministry had started working to restore power. The blackout is occurring as the nation's energy grid is in shambles, as the US President Donald Trump has imposed a total embargo since the ouster of the nation's top ally, Nicolas Maduro. No oil has been imported to the island nation since January 9. With regular power outages and food shortages, a population of 9.6 million has reportedly started to demonstrate against the government and vandalised a provincial office of the Cuban Communist Party last weekend.

Since the revolutionary Fidel Castro overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, the country has been under strict economic sanctions. US President Donald Trump has made no secret about its desire to change the political system of the Communist-run nation and thus push the nation into further economic crisis. Trump has reportedly said that he can do “anything” with his neighbour. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in a speech to the international activists that "there could be an attack on Cuba,” and he is preparing accordingly.