Cuba has confirmed that it recently held talks with officials from the United States in Havana, as tensions between the two countries remain high over Washington's energy blockade of the Caribbean island.

Alejandro García del Toro, deputy director general in charge of US affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the US delegation included assistant secretaries of state, while the Cuban delegation included representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister. He described the exchange as respectful and professional, and said the American side issued no threats or deadlines, contrary to some reports in US media.

Ending the US oil blockade was, he said, a top priority for the Cuban delegation. He called the blockade an unjustified punishment of the entire Cuban population, and accused Washington of blackmail for threatening tariffs against countries that export fuel to Cuba.

First US diplomatic visit since 2016

US news outlet Axios reported on Friday that officials from President Donald Trump's administration held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10, including with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of former President Raúl Castro. The meetings were the first time American diplomats had flown into Cuba since 2016 in a new diplomatic push. Neither US nor Cuban officials have said exactly when the meeting took place, or precisely which US officials took part.

According to reports, Washington has set out several conditions for negotiations with Cuba to continue, including the release of prominent political prisoners, an end to political repression, and liberalising the island's ailing economy. The Reuters news agency reported that US proposals also include allowing Elon Musk's Starlink internet terminals into the country and providing compensation for Americans and US corporations for assets confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution.

Blockade deepens Cuba's energy crisis

The fuel blockade has aggravated Cuba's economic and energy crisis, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster. Trump has threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba, and has hinted at military intervention. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said last week that his country was prepared to fight if the US carried through on its threats.

The leaders of Mexico, Spain and Brazil voiced concern on Saturday over what they called the dramatic situation in Cuba, and urged sincere and respectful dialogue. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday there was no evident justification for the US to attack Cuba, adding that the ability to defend oneself does not mean the right to intervene militarily in other states whose political systems do not match what others might have in mind.

For now, the confirmation of direct talks is the clearest sign yet that both sides are keeping a diplomatic channel open, even as the blockade continues to bite and the gap between their demands remains wide.