Cuban authorities have firmly rejected a Reuters report published on Friday alleging that Havana had communicated with Washington through intermediaries about Venezuela’s political future. The report claimed that Cuban officials offered to use their influence to help negotiate a transition in Caracas that would result in President Nicolás Maduro stepping down. According to Reuters, the conversation supposedly included discussions on “what the world would look like without a Maduro regime.”
The report did not identify its sources or specify whether they came from Cuba, the United States, or Venezuela. In response, Cuban officials criticized the claims as intentionally misleading and lacking credibility.
Addressing reporters on Monday, Vice Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal dismissed the report as “absurd and false,” stating that no such talks had taken place. She emphasized that the political affairs of Venezuela are internal matters for the Venezuelan government alone. “Cuba rejects as absurd and false the press reports that claim … alleged contacts between Cuban officials and the United States Government to address internal matters that are solely the responsibility of the Venezuelan Government,” Vidal said. She further accused hostile groups in the United States of attempting to drive a wedge between Cuba and Venezuela, describing the allegations as part of a broader strategy to justify pressure and intervention in the region.
Cuba and Venezuela have maintained close relations since Hugo Chávez became president in 1999, with Venezuela historically providing oil to Cuba during periods of heightened cooperation. Throughout the years, both governments have frequently accused Washington of pushing regime change efforts against allied nations, a policy they say is accompanied by attempts to create distrust among partner states.
Despite continued U.S. pressure, Maduro’s government remains in power, bolstered by the support of the Venezuelan military, which has remained loyal to the president. The lack of progress in Washington’s efforts has left limited options for achieving Maduro’s removal. While some analysts argue that military intervention would be the only remaining strategy, this approach has not gained broad support in the United States, where such a move is unpopular among the public, including within the Republican voter base.