Cuban government representatives have approached high-ranking Vatican officials, including the Pope, requesting assistance in convincing the Trump administration to relax its oil sanctions against the island nation, according to a Friday report from the Washington Post citing sources with knowledge of the discussions.
The news outlet’s claims could not be independently confirmed by Reuters. Requests for comment from the Vatican’s press office, the White House, and Cuban government officials went unanswered.
The diplomatic outreach comes as Havana and Washington began discussions earlier this month amid mounting pressure from Trump’s oil sanctions that are driving the Communist-governed island deeper into financial hardship. Previous reports have indicated the Trump administration’s goal of ousting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from leadership.
