MIAMI, HAVANA – Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has sharply criticized a recent gathering of regional leaders in Florida, dismissing the meeting as a “small reactionary and neocolonial summit.”
The comments came after heads of state from Latin America and the Caribbean met in Florida to discuss regional security, migration and political stability. According to reports, 12 of the 20 presidents from across the Americas participated in the meeting.
From Havana, Díaz-Canel sought to downplay the political significance of the summit. His remarks were widely interpreted as a response to growing regional attention on the situation in Cuba.
During the same period, Donald Trump said that several Latin American governments had asked Washington to play a more active role regarding the political situation in Cuba. Trump also stated that the Cuban government was “in its final days,” a comment that quickly circulated among diplomatic circles in the region.
The summit discussions focused on cooperation in areas such as regional security, migration and political stability. Analysts say the meeting also reflected increasing concern among several Latin American governments about Cuba’s political and economic situation.
Cuba continues to face a severe economic crisis marked by electricity blackouts, fuel shortages and periodic protests. The situation has increased pressure on the government as it struggles to stabilize the island’s economy.
Observers say Díaz-Canel’s reaction highlights Havana’s concern that regional governments may be coordinating more closely on how to address developments in Cuba.
While Cuban officials rejected the legitimacy of the summit, the debate surrounding the meeting underscores the growing regional focus on the island’s political future.