Havana [Cuba], February 3 (ANI): The Cuban government has firmly denied allegations that it poses a security threat to the United States, even as tensions escalate between Havana and Washington over broader geopolitical and economic disputes.

In a statement released on Monday (local time), Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed its readiness to engage in dialogue and cooperation with the US on issues ranging from counterterrorism to regional security, a sharp contrast to the harsh accusations coming from the White House.

In its declaration, Cuban officials made clear: 'The Cuban people and the American people benefit from constructive engagement, lawful cooperation, and peaceful coexistence,' underscoring a willingness to pursue 'a respectful and reciprocal dialogue ... based on mutual interest and international law.'

The dispute has intensified in the wake of the controversial US military operation in Venezuela last month that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

Washington's actions there have strained relations throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, with Havana bearing the brunt of policy shifts that have cut off its primary source of energy.

Venezuela, long Cuba's main oil supplier, has seen shipments all but halted since the overthrow of Maduro, fueling Havana's growing economic hardship.

US President Donald Trump, defending his administration's stance, said that 'Cuba is a failing nation for a long time. But now it doesn't have Venezuela to prop it up,' reflecting Washington's narrative that the Caribbean island poses a threat in its current state.

Beyond oil politics, the Trump administration has gone further, releasing a memorandum labelling the Cuban government an 'unusual and extraordinary threat' to US national security. That document accused Havana of alignment with 'malign actors', including strategic rivals such as China and Russia, and of exporting 'communist ideas, policies, and practices' that threaten US interests in the Western Hemisphere.

Cuba's foreign ministry pushed back against these claims, declaring unequivocally that the island 'does not harbor, support, finance, or permit terrorist or extremist organisations.' The government also reiterated that it does not host foreign military or intelligence bases, a pointed rebuttal to US assertions of Havana's involvement in regional destabilisation.

This diplomatic confrontation comes as Washington also pressures regional players to limit support for Cuba. Recent moves include efforts to persuade Mexico to curb oil shipments to the island, heightening concerns that the Caribbean nation could confront a full energy blockade.

Amid these tensions, voices outside government have called for restraint. Pope Leo urged both countries to engage in 'sincere and effective dialogue', warning that escalation benefits no one and could increase suffering for the Cuban people.

For now, Havana maintains that its long-held principles of sovereignty and peaceful coexistence remain unchanged, even as it navigates one of the most fraught chapters of US-Cuba relations in decades. (ANI)