The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, indicated this Thursday that Washington is already holding talks with Cuba on new measures aimed at modifying an economic situation that, he stressed, is "worse" than that of Iran after the offensive launched on February 28. His words come after Havana made public last week a package of structural reforms aimed at liberalizing the island's economy.
"What is happening in Cuba is a system that has not worked. They cannot generate income. Their economy is probably in worse shape than Iran's. (...) We want the Cuban people to be happy and prosperous. In fact, we are talking with the Cuban Government about how they could change their practices to change that situation," he said in an appearance before the media in which he also gave details of the pre-agreement reached with Iran.
The 'number two' of the White House added that they are waiting to "see what" the Cuban authorities "do" in this area. "Obviously, if they do something, we will also do something. We are going to have a much better relationship with that island," he pointed out, without offering additional information on the possible steps of the US Administration.
Questioned about the words of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who said that Cuba would be the "next" after the fall of the Iranian Government, Vance merely replied to reporters that "they have to ask (Secretary of State, Marco) Rubio about Cuba."
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel presented last Friday a set of structural reforms in order to further open the national economy —including aspects such as the regulation of the different economic actors, the modernization of the banking and financial system and the promotion of foreign investment— to try to mitigate the effect of the economic and energy sanctions imposed by the Trump Administration.