By LifeZette News Staff
Cuba’s government confirmed Monday that it recently held talks with U.S. officials on the island, marking a rare diplomatic engagement as tensions remain elevated over the U.S. energy blockade targeting the Caribbean nation.
A State Department official told NBC News that a senior U.S. delegation traveled to Cuba last week for meetings with government officials as part of ongoing diplomatic negotiations overseen by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The visit marked the first time a U.S. government aircraft has landed in Cuba since 2016.
According to the official, the U.S. delegation used the meeting to deliver a message about the state of Cuba’s economy and the urgency of potential reforms.
The official said the delegation told Cuban counterparts that the country’s economy is in free fall and that the “island’s ruling elites have a small window to make key U.S. backed reforms before circumstances irreversibly worsen.”
Cuban officials also provided details about the talks. Alejandro García del Toro, deputy director general in charge of U.S. affairs at Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the American delegation included assistant secretaries of state, while the Cuban side was represented by officials at the level of deputy foreign minister.
García del Toro described the discussions as constructive, stating they were conducted “respectfully and professionally.”