Cuba says it has no plans to negotiate with the United States as tensions continue over the long-standing U.S. trade embargo.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez made the comments on Monday during a press conference in Havana. He said there are no talks or plans for future negotiations between the two countries.

However, Rodriguez said Cuba remains willing to stay in contact with the United States. He said there has been little progress despite that contact.

Cuba refers to the U.S. trade embargo as a “genocidal” blockade. The government says the decades-old policy has caused major damage to the island’s economy.

Rodriguez said the economic damage increased by seven percent in 2025 compared with the previous year. He put the total damage at US$8.1 billion for the year.

He also warned that the impact could grow in the first months of 2026. His warning comes after the Trump administration imposed an oil blockade on Cuba.

Cuba says the oil restrictions have severely reduced fuel supplies and damaged the country’s energy production. The island has also faced nationwide blackouts that can last for days.

Rodriguez said ordinary Cubans feel the effects of the restrictions. He pointed to limited electricity, food spoilage and difficult living conditions.

He said some people now spend long periods with only a few hours of electricity each day. He also said the heat makes sleeping difficult. Children, he added, sometimes do homework with very little light.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rodriguez’s remarks.

The United States considers the Cuban government a national security concern. Washington has previously defended its sanctions and trade restrictions. U.S. officials say the measures aim to pressure Cuba’s communist government to make changes.

The United Nations has criticized the Trump administration’s sanctions and energy restrictions. U.N. experts warned in August that the situation could increase the risk of disease outbreaks in Cuba.

The U.S. Embassy also recently issued a health alert. It warned about rising cases of intestinal illnesses and diarrhea linked to problems with water and electricity supplies.