"The article, published on Monday, cited four individuals familiar with the talks and included revelations that negotiators demanded that President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the leader of the Cuba's communist government, would need to go during talks as the island grapples with fuel shortages and a power grid outage."
"Some officials within the Trump administration believe removing the president could open the door to sweeping economic reforms in Cuba, arguing that Diaz-Canel, viewed by them as a hardliner, would be unlikely to back such changes, one source said."
"In a statement released on Wednesday, The New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander addressed Rubio directly, countering that when journalists contacted the State Department well before publication that federal officials received no disagreement when asked about the claims."
The New York Times published a report citing four sources indicating Trump administration negotiators demanded Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel's removal during talks. Some officials believe removing Diaz-Canel could enable economic reforms, viewing him as an obstacle to change. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the demand occurred, calling the Times' sources liars and the story fake. The Times responded with a statement from spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander, asserting that the State Department received no disagreement when contacted about the claims before publication. President Trump has signaled intensified focus on Cuba policy, with Rubio potentially overseeing efforts.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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