Gustavo Petro urges Trump talks to avert US invasion of Cuba

Outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro urged US President Donald Trump to pursue dialogue with Cuba and called for efforts to prevent a US invasion or missile strike during a visit to Havana, Cuban media reported on Saturday.

Petro arrived in Cuba on Friday for an official visit before his term ends next week. Cubadebate said he spoke to Cuban media late Friday after Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel welcomed him with military honours at the Palace of the Revolution and the two leaders held official talks.

Petro said he wanted “solidarity with Cuba” so there would be no invasion or missile strike, and proposed dialogue with the current US government, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump.

“It would be good if, amid the danger looming over Cuba, it could be transformed from a danger into a setting for that dialogue,” Petro said. “Now is the time for dialogue.”

Trump has said Cuba represents an “extraordinary threat” to US national security and has said Washington could be “taking Cuba”.

Relations between Havana and Washington have deteriorated since January after Washington imposed an effective oil blockade and other sanctions. Cuba has faced major shortages and widespread power outages.

Representatives of the two countries have held talks, but the Cuban government said there had been no progress.

Petro's successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, who is due to take office on August 7, announced last Sunday that he would sever diplomatic relations with Cuba and Nicaragua, countries he described as “tyrannies”. The Cuban government said his announcement amounted to “clear subordination” to the United States.

Havana hosted the peace talks that led to Colombia's 2016 peace agreement with the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group.