Cuba confirms meeting with US officials and says energy blockade is a top priority

Cuba’s government is confirming that it recently met with U.S. officials on the island.

Tensions remain high over the U.S. energy blockade.

Senior U.S. State Department officials say American diplomats flew to Cuba earlier in April for the first time since 2016.

Neither side has specified when exactly the meeting took place or which U.S. officials were involved.

Alejandro García del Toro, from Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says the U.S. delegation included assistant secretaries of state.

The Cuban delegation prioritized ending the energy embargo, calling it an unjustified punishment.

Washington is pressing Cuba to end political repression and release political prisoners.