Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez made clear Monday that President Trump will not be able to bend Cuba to his will. At a press conference during a visit to Austria, Rodriguez decried Trump's speech Friday announcing the cancelation of Obama-era Cuba policies as a "'grotesque spectacle' straight out of the Cold War," Reuters reported.
Trump on Friday harangued Cuba for its human rights abuses as he outlined new policies tightening restrictions on American travel to Cuba and on business transactions between the nations. While Trump's policies may be aimed at weakening Cuban military power, Rodriguez warned the policies would more likely "create unity behind the communist leadership" and boost Cuban patriotism, The Associated Press reported. Rodriguez insisted Cuba would "never negotiate under pressure or under threat" and he rejected Trump's demands for Cuba to turn over the U.S. fugitives whom it has granted political asylum.
The Cuban government has also criticized Trump's policies, which it described as a "backward step" and a regression to "coercive methods from the past." In a statement Friday, the Cuban government suggested the U.S. is in no "condition to lecture us," pointing to the "large number of cases of murder" and "brutality and police abuse" in America.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women
-
Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
