Breaking Points: Cuba Official Says Trump’s Pressure Campaign Will Backfire

**SPEAKER_1** (0:01)
Power, politics, and daily survival—that's what Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti explored on Breaking Points when they sat down with Cuba's deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, and his assessment of the crisis? Absolutely blunt.
Right, and he didn't hold back on the energy situation. He says some Cubans are getting only two to three hours of electricity per day. Think about what that actually means—food spoiling, no water being pumped, surgeries getting disrupted. Families can't care for sick relatives or newborns properly. And it got even worse over the summer. He mentioned multiple total blackouts, including two in just one week. But here's the really troubling part—he links this directly to rising child mortality. The pressure isn't just about fuel anymore either. It's extended to solar panels and other energy-related imports being blocked. The ripple effects are everywhere. Businesses, schools, government offices—all affected.
He painted this picture of teachers working without electricity or fans, and schools basically unable to provide lunches. So even when kids can attend class, the conditions are brutal.
Now, on migration, his perspective is really interesting. He argues that many Cubans aren't leaving because they've abandoned the country—they're leaving because conditions are so harsh. He says officially the population is about 11 million, but on any given day it's closer to 9 million because so many people are temporarily abroad.
And he quoted young Cubans saying something really powerful: "I want my country. I don't want this to be Puerto Rico. I want Cuba to be Cuban for Cubans." That tells you something about the sentiment there.
Building on that point, Fernandez de Cossio insists Cuba is undergoing its biggest transformation since the nineteen sixties—more markets, more private sector opening, more transparent legislation. But here's the catch: he says previous reform efforts were sabotaged by U.S. pressure. Which brings us to the diplomatic situation. He's very clear—there's contact, but no real dialogue. He literally says, "None of the negotiations they talk about exist." The U.S. keeps adding sanctions almost weekly while claiming to support communication. He calls it a medieval siege and rejects the idea that Cuba poses any threat. His words: a nuclear superpower claiming to fear Cuba makes no sense. He says the real goal is punishing ordinary Cubans until they surrender.
And when Washington announced aid, he dismissed it completely—called it "a PR stunt."
His bottom line? Cuba wants respect as a sovereign nation, not regime change. He's adamant that no amount of pressure will force that surrender.