What happened
US President Donald Trump has expressed his expectation that the United States and Cuba will reach an agreement, stating that he does not believe military action will be necessary. Trump's comments came after a speech at the United Nations where he referred to Cuba as a failed state and predicted that freedom would come to the island. The Cuban delegation walked out during the speech.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez responded by saying that Cuba remains open to dialogue and commercial ties with the United States, while condemning the longstanding US trade embargo. The Trump administration has increased pressure on Cuba this year, imposing an oil blockade in January and announcing sanctions against Cuban military procurement networks in August.
The US has accused the Cuban regime of sponsoring terrorism, spying, and supporting violent groups, among other allegations. The US Department of Justice also indicted former Cuban leader Raúl Castro on murder charges in May. Despite these tensions, Trump stated that the US wants to help Cuba and open it up to American people.
