Cuba on Monday denied holding any conversation with the U.S. government beyond technical contacts on immigration matters, but reiterated the willingness to negotiate.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on X that his country has always been willing to engage in "serious and responsible" dialogue with various U.S. administrations, including the current one.
He emphasized that such dialogue must be conducted "on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, principles of international law, mutual benefit, without interference in internal affairs, and with full respect for our independence."
Diaz-Canel noted that "Cuba scrupulously complies with" the existing bilateral immigration agreements, adding that "As history has shown, for U.S.-Cuba relations to progress, they must be based on international law rather than on hostility, threats, and economic coercion."
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested Cuba should make a deal with Washington.
"There will be no more oil or money going to Cuba -- Zero! I strongly suggest they make a deal, before it is too late," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
"Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela," Trump said.
The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan. 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The strikes have drawn worldwide condemnation and concern.
Following the U.S. military raid on Venezuela, Trump said that "Cuba is going to be something we'll end up talking about" and warned Colombian President Gustavo Petro to be careful.
Cuban president denies dialogue with US, reaffirms willingness to negotiate
U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.
Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.
Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.
Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.
In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.
Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.
U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell
