Cuban president defiant despite Trump pressure to resign

Cuba’s Diaz-Canel vows to resist US pressure to resign as Trump escalates threats, tightens oil blockade on the island.Published On 10 Apr 2026Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel says he will not bow to pressure by the United States to resign.“Stepping down is not part of our vocabulary,” he said in an interview with US broadcaster NBC News on Thursday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Cuba crisis explained: Who holds power, and could Diaz-Canel be replaced?list 2 of 4Rubio denies US actions punitive, blames Cuba for economic failureslist 3 of 4Russian tanker reaches Cuba amid critical energy shortagelist 4 of 4‘I need to leave’: Cuba’s tourism workers reel from US oil blockadeend of listThe president described communist-ruled Cuba as a “free sovereign state” with the right to “self-determination,” adding that the island is not “subject to the designs of the United States”.“In Cuba, the people who are in leadership positions are not elected by the US government,” he said.The president since 2018 faces increasing pressure and demands for regime change from President Donald Trump’s administration.Trump has hinted that Cuba could face the same fate as Venezuela and Iran.“I built this great military. I said, ‘You’ll never have to use it.’ But sometimes you have to use it. And Cuba is next,” the US president said last month.Cuba’s main oil supply was cut off after Trump ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January. The US has since imposed an oil blockade on the island and threatened tariffs on any country that sells oil to Cuba.‘Hostile policy’Diaz-Canel condemned the US “hostile policy” that has left Cuba reeling from widespread power blackouts, fuel shortages and disruptions to water and food distribution.He also said the Trump administration has “deprived the American people from a normal relationship with Cuba.”Since returning to office last year, Trump has labelled Cuba an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security and threatened a “takeover” of the island.