Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister on U.S. Embargo, Trump’s Deportations, Israel’s War on Iran & Gaza

We speak with Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, about the Trump administration’s tightening restrictions on the country. Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has reinstated Cuba’s designation as a so-called state sponsor of terrorism, recommitted to upholding the decadeslong economic embargo and targeted Cuban immigrants for deportation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now going after Cuba’s medical program that sends Cuban doctors and healthcare workers to assist other countries. The island nation was also among the countries on Trump’s travel ban that went into effect last week, severely limiting Cuban nationals from entering the U.S. This all comes as the Trump administration is reportedly planning to transfer thousands of immigrants to be detained at Guantánamo Bay. Fernández de Cossío says the influence of anti-Cuban politicians in the U.S. is “greater than any previous moment,” which allows them to push “this narrow approach, which is not relevant to the interests of most Americans.”