Castro attacks Trump’s ‘Cold War’ stance on Cuba relations

CUBA’S president has said Donald Trump’s hardline stance towards the country was a “setback” in relations with the US, after ties were gradually restored in 2015.

Raúl Castro criticised Mr Trump’s partial rollback of Barack Obama’s rapprochement with the communist island in comments ahead of the second anniversary of Havana embassy’s reopening in Washington on July 20.

“The announcements made by the current president… mean a setback in bilateral relations,” Mr Castro said in remarks broadcast on state television at the closing of the first session of Cuba’s parliament.

He made the remarks after Mr Trump addressed anti-Castro activists in Miami’s Little Havana last month and announced tightened rules for Americans travelling to Cuba, a ban on ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirmed the existing US trade embargo, imposed since 1962.

Mr Castro said the new measures evoked “an old and hostile rhetoric that characterised the Cold War”.

He also denounced the manipulation of Cuba over human rights issues.

“Cuba has much to be proud of, and it does not have to receive lessons from the US or anyone else,” he said during the session, to which international press does not have access.

“Any strategy that seeks to destroy the revolution, whether through coercion or pressure or through subtle methods, will fail.”

The 86-year-old, who is due to step down as president in February, reiterated his willingness to continue “respectful dialogue” and negotiate bilateral issues “on the basis of equality” and recognition of “the sovereignty and independence of our country”.

The original Cuban government response to Mr Trump’s declaration was restrained, expressing rejection of the tightened policy but emphasising openness to continuing “respectful” negotiation.