Cuban president gives first UK interview on Trump threats
Cuban president gave his first UK interview, stating the country does not want war but is not afraid, amid threats of invasion from President Trump.
Narrative Synthesis
Neutral news article compiled by integrating coverage details from all reporting stations.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has given his first UK interview, telling Sky News that his country does not want war but is not afraid of it. The interview comes amid heightened tensions following repeated threats from US President Donald Trump, who has accused Cuba of harming American national security and suggested that after many decades, the island is 'coming our way'.
In the interview, Diaz-Canel rejected Trump's claims as lies and accused the US government of waging a campaign of 'media-driven intoxication and psychological warfare' aimed at frightening and destabilising Cuba. He insisted that Cuba is a peaceful country, not a threat to anyone, and that it provides solidarity to the world. 'We are not a colony. We are not going to give in our sovereignty or independence,' he said.
The Cuban leader acknowledged a worsening of the US blockade to the point of 'maximum pressure', which he said is causing major problems for the daily life of Cubans. When asked about a military buildup off Cuba's coast and Trump's record of acting on threats against Venezuela and Iran, Diaz-Canel stated: 'We are willing to fight to the very last drop of blood in order to defend our rights, our independence, our sovereignty, and our achievement.'
The interview was conducted by Sky News lead world presenter Yada Hakim and forms part of a special programme broadcast later that evening from Havana. The network also provided additional coverage from its correspondents on the ground.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included as supporting evidence for criticism/review of the programme’s visual or editorial framing. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Factual or political claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Sky News |
|---|---|
| Cuban president gave his first UK interview to Sky News. | |
| Diaz-Canel described US threats as part of a strategy of media-driven intoxication and psychological warfare. | |
| Donald Trump accused Cuba of harming America's national security. | |
| The US has tightened its blockade against Cuba to the point of maximum pressure. |
Channel Perspectives
Editorial focus, emphasis angles, and key quotes from each reporting news station.
Sky News framed the story as an exclusive, high-stakes interview with the Cuban president, emphasising his defiant tone and the seriousness of Trump's threats. The channel promoted its own special programme and correspondents, positioning itself as the primary source for this story. The tone was neutral but highlighted the tension and the president's strong language.
- “We are a peaceful country. We are not a threat to anyone. We provide a lot of solidarity to the world. Therefore, Cuba is not a nation in conflict. We're not a colony. We're not going to give in our sovereignty or independence.”
- “We don't want the war, but we're not afraid of it and we are getting ready so that we're not surprised or defeated.”
- “We are willing to fight to the very last drop of blood in order to defend our rights, our independence, our sovereignty, and our achievement.”
Bulletin Timeline
Chronological list of news reports tracked for this story.