By Dave Sherwood
HAVANA, May 14 (Reuters) – Cuba on Thursday said it would entertain a U.S. offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid but expressed skepticism over President Donald Trump’s intentions at a time when a U.S. oil blockade on the island has crippled public services.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the island’s communist-run government was willing to consider the offer, but said no strings should be attached.
“We hope it will be free of political maneuvering and attempts to exploit the hardships and suffering of a people under siege,” Rodriguez said on social media.
Last week, the U.S. State Department said it had privately offered the $100 million in aid to Cuba, in addition to “free and fast satellite internet” on the condition that the island government agree to “meaningful reforms”.
Rodriguez denied the Trump administration had made such an offer, calling it a “fable.” The Trump administration then repeated the offer in a statement on Wednesday.
Living conditions in Cuba have dramatically worsened after Trump in January threatened tariffs on any nation supplying the island with fuel. Top allies Mexico and Venezuela have since cut off oil shipments to Cuba, leading to dire shortages of fuel and electricity.
Last week, the United Nations called Trump’s fuel blockade unlawful, saying it had obstructed the “Cuban people’s right to development while undermining their rights to food, education, health, and water and sanitation.”
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said his government would accept the aid if it complied with international norms on humanitarian assistance.
But the Cuban leader called the offer “inconsistent and paradoxical,” adding that Washington could do more to aid Cuba by simply lifting sanctions.
Diaz-Canel said Cuban priorities for use of the funds would be fuel, food and medicine.
The Trump administration has called the current communist-run government corrupt and incompetent and is seeking to replace it, despite ongoing talks.
Negotiations appeared to have stalled in recent weeks, though on Thursday the Cuban government confirmed it had met with CIA chief John Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe told intelligence officials in Cuba that the U.S. was prepared to engage on economic security issues if Cuba makes “fundamental changes,” a CIA official said.
(Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by David Gregorio)
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