Cuban Diplomats Eye Switzerland In Bid To Ease US Economic Pressure

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) As tensions rise again between Cuba and the United States under President Donald Trump, Cuban diplomats are quietly looking to Switzerland – the neutral country that once served as the sole communication bridge during the Cold War – to help restore a constructive dialogue that could allow Cuba to escape economic pressure exerted by the US. This content was published on July 11, 2025 - 09:00 9 minutes Vinicius Pereira in Havana

“If neutral Switzerland didn't exist, we would have to invent it.” The phrase, attributed to an advisor of former American President John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and found in the Diplomatic Documents of SwitzerlandExternal link (Dodis), reveals the key role Switzerland played in facilitating dialogue between two Cold War adversaries during one of the most dangerous standoffs in modern history.

Switzerland's embassy in Havana served as the only formal diplomatic channel between the US and Cuba for much of the Cold War which ran from 1961 until 2015, an enduring example of Swiss quiet diplomacy.

Now, as sanctions tighten under the leadership of Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cuban diplomats Swissinfo spoke to say Switzerland could once again serve as a mediator between Havana and Washington.

“Switzerland could play a key role in helping respond diplomatically to Trump's policies on Cuba. The new US administration has increased pressure on the Cuban economy, and the effects on the population are already visible,” said a Cuban diplomat, speaking off the record.

Cuba's economy has shrunk by 12% since 2019, driven by the combined impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, ongoing US driven sanctions, and flawed macroeconomic policies. Official inflation surpassed 30% last year, hinting at even steeper price hikes in the informal market.

“The Cuban people have the right to live free from the economic block sponsored by the US, and Switzerland sounds for me a perfect country to help to reduce this pressure the diplomatic way” the diplomat said.

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