{"id":6048,"date":"2026-04-09T20:23:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T20:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/cubas-president-says-hes-not-stepping-down-in-interview-with-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T20:23:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T20:23:49","slug":"cubas-president-says-hes-not-stepping-down-in-interview-with-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/09\/cubas-president-says-hes-not-stepping-down-in-interview-with-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Cuba&#8217;s president says he&#8217;s &#8216;not stepping down&#8217; in interview with NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-d5e9ce\" class=\"body-graf\">Cuba\u2019s President Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel insisted that he\u2019s not \u201cstepping down\u201d in an interview with NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press\u201d moderator Kristen Welker in Havana on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p><button class=\"styles_subscriptionCTA__LOUeY\" id=\"subscriptionCTA\" type=\"button\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,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\" alt=\"NBC News Icon\" class=\"styles_icon__wRwWv\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"styles_textWrapper__vxvko\">\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB styles_textLarge__qlzwu\">Subscribe to read this story ad-free    <\/p>\n<p class=\"styles_text__daaVB\">Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/rockcms\/2026-01\/arrow-f55fa5.svg\" alt=\"arrow\" class=\"styles_arrow__tnruW\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-c57d21\" class=\"body-graf\">The Cuban president bristled when Welker asked if he would be \u201cwilling to step down to save your country\u201d during his first interview with a U.S. broadcast network.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-7d17ff\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cIn Cuba, the people who are in leadership positions are not elected by the U.S. government, and they don\u2019t have a mandate from the U.S. government. We have a free sovereign state, a free state. We have self-determination and independence, and we are not subjected to the designs of the United States,\u201d D\u00edaz-Canel said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-00a06c\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cStepping down is not part of our vocabulary,\u201d D\u00edaz-Canel said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-6cd362\" class=\"body-graf\"><em><strong>Watch \u201cMeet the Press NOW\u201d Thursday at 4 p.m. ET on NBC News for this interview, and \u201cMeet the Press\u201d on Sunday for the extended exclusive interview and meetthepress.com for the full interview. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-29ff42\" class=\"body-graf\">The Cuban president\u2019s response comes as the Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on the communist country and calling for a change in its government, with President Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/cuba-cossio-us-trump-dialogue-negotiations-diplomat-bf386bb43bf9e101f0d76d24781c26e6\" target=\"_blank\">calling Cuba a \u201cfailing nation\u201d<\/a> and saying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NVSXegW4ZfA\" target=\"_blank\">last month, it may be \u201ca friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-4361b5\" class=\"body-graf\">Last month, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/03\/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-press-8\" target=\"_blank\">Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Cuba a \u201cdisaster,\u201d saying <\/a>it\u2019s because their \u201ceconomic system doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ca4e9f\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cCubans can only be successful if they leave the country,\u201d said Rubio, whose parents left Cuba in the 1950s, a few years before Fidel Castro\u2019s communist takeover.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-467250\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThat has to change, and for that to change, you have to change the people in charge,\u201d Rubio said, adding that this required changing the country\u2019s economic model.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-bd669c\" class=\"body-graf\">D\u00edaz-Canel took issue with being asked if he would step down, asking, \u201cDo you ask that question to Trump?\u201c and whether the question was \u201ccoming from the State Department of the U.S.?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-de7125\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260306-cuba-vsb-1821-fddeef.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260306-cuba-vsb-1821-fddeef.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260306-cuba-vsb-1821-fddeef.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260306-cuba-vsb-1821-fddeef.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260306-cuba-vsb-1821-fddeef.jpg\" alt=\"A pedicab drives past a traffic light that is out due to a power cut in Havana, Cuba.\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">A pedicab drives past a traffic light that is out due to a power outage in Havana on March 4.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Yamil Lage \/ AFP &#8211; Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-0c4ec7\" class=\"body-graf\">D\u00edaz-Canel insisted the country\u2019s leaders \u201care elected by the people, although there\u2019s a narrative trying to disregard that. Any one of us, before we become part of a leadership role, we need to be elected at the grassroot level in our electoral district by thousands of Cubans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-193429\" class=\"body-graf\">Cuba\u2019s communist government, however, is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/americas\/cubans-vote-this-week-470-lawmakers-heres-how-it-works-2023-03-22\/\" target=\"_blank\">one-party system<\/a> that does not allow for an opposition party. Candidates to the country\u2019s National Assembly are chosen in local elections, but critics point out that there is no credible opposition, little transparency and all candidates have to belong to the Communist Party.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-da0383\" class=\"body-graf\">For the past couple of months, Cuba\u2019s government has carried out a media campaign, granting several news outlets, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/cuba\/cuba-allow-nationals-living-abroad-invest-businesses-island-economy-rcna263637\" target=\"_blank\">including NBC News<\/a>, interviews with various government officials and addressing the mounting pressure from the U.S. amid a near economic collapse.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-66a8dc\" class=\"body-graf\">Cuban officials have denounced the Trump administration\u2019s actions, which cut the flow of Venezuelan oil shipments to the country after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro. The U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/latin-america\/trump-threatens-tariffs-country-selling-oil-cuba-backing-mexico-corner-rcna256658\" target=\"_blank\">also threatened tariffs against any country<\/a> selling or supplying oil to Cuba. Oil reserves dwindled and created even more fuel shortages, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/cuba\/cuba-suffers-nationwide-blackout-announcing-economic-reforms-rcna263847\" target=\"_blank\">resulting in more power outages across the whole country.<\/a><\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-40874c\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1467\" data-original-width=\"2200\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260317-Cuba-blackout-aa-423-08880c.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260317-Cuba-blackout-aa-423-08880c.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260317-Cuba-blackout-aa-423-08880c.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260317-Cuba-blackout-aa-423-08880c.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-03\/260317-Cuba-blackout-aa-423-08880c.jpg\" alt=\"Cubans gather in front of their houses during a blackout in Havana.\" height=\"1467\" width=\"2200\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Cubans gather in front of their houses during a blackout in Havana on March 16. <\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Adalberto Roque \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-66a8dc\" class=\"body-graf\">The conditions have further strained an island nation that for years has endured an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/latin-america\/cubans-brace-even-economic-devastation-threat-no-venezuelan-oil-rcna252430\" target=\"_blank\">economic crisis<\/a>, rolling blackouts and shortages of food and medicine.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-dab0cf\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump recently said he had \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/cuba-russia-oil-sanctions-blockade-us-trump-1b69b79b322586503d08f28882e5b948\" target=\"_blank\">no problem<\/a>\u201c with the arrival of a Russian tanker with crude oil, saying he didn\u2019t think it would help prop up the Cuban government. It was the first tanker to dock in three months. Russia said it is preparing a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/russia-cuba-oil-tanker-us-energy-blockade-cfbe8565b665fa99117b449112621dfd\" target=\"_blank\">second oil shipment<\/a> to the island.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-221ede\" class=\"body-graf\">But that wasn\u2019t enough as the Cuban government and residents decry the current oil shortage and lack of other basic necessities, which D\u00edaz-Canel and other officials have blamed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/cuba-says-us-embargo-genocidal-really-rcna1733\" target=\"_blank\">on the more than 50-year-old U.S. economic embargo.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-11f6ac\" class=\"body-graf\">The Trump administration has pushed back on Cuba\u2019s previous statements. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/03\/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-press-8\" target=\"_blank\">Rubio said on March 27<\/a> that there \u201cis no naval blockade around Cuba\u201d and the reason Cuba doesn\u2019t have any fuel \u201cis because it wants it for free and people don\u2019t give away oil and fuel for free unless it was the Soviet Union subsidizing them or Maduro subsidizing them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-a90292\" class=\"body-graf\">D\u00edaz-Canel blamed U.S. policies for the current state of the countries\u2019 relationship.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-d1ff22\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cI think the most important thing would be for them to understand and take this critical position, a sincere position, and recognize how much it has cost the Cuban people \u2014 and how much they have deprived the American people from a normal relationship with the Cuban people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ed48d5\" class=\"body-graf\">Trump said Rubio has been in talks with Cuba, and Cuban officials have acknowledged talks without either government going into details.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ca5274\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">Cuba&#8217;s Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/us-cuba-talks-very-preliminary-185808847.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADEg9BwsEpbMbcziZXykkE3tHnWld6W45xDWadso8EtWxdiY9lTFDDmRlMs5412CzsLmsbgZzcN7yi1B1hPAfu8_bbcnZVwP4_GD_SGWXQn5LGGe31SulxmQXZ7b_ZUdzgKQAgo5AAtTU9s3a5ZZrWcvFIeR5SwAjdNf3FMn5a4q\" target=\"_blank\">Agence France-Press<\/a> this week that talks between Cuba and the United States on de-escalating tensions are still at a \u201cvery preliminary\u201d stage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/world\/cuba\/cubas-president-says-not-stepping-down-rcna267456\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cuba\u2019s President Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel insisted that he\u2019s not \u201cstepping down\u201d in an interview with NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press\u201d moderator Kristen Welker in Havana on Thursday. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The Cuban president bristled when Welker asked if he would be \u201cwilling to step [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6048","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-current-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6048"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6048\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}