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Cuba looks to Vatican for help to ease US oil embargo, Washington Post reports

By Thomson Reuters Mar 27, 2026 | 5:43 AM

March 27 (Reuters) – Cuban officials have petitioned the Vatican to help persuade ​the administration of ‌U.S. President Donald Trump to ease its oil embargo in senior-level meetings with ‌Vatican ​officials including Pope ⁠Leo, the Washington ⁠Post reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Reuters could not ​immediately verify the report. The Vatican press ⁠office, the ⁠White House and ​the Cuban government did not ​immediately respond to a ‌request for comment.

Havana and Washington entered talks earlier this month as an ⁠oil blockade imposed by Trump pushes the Communist-run nation deeper ⁠into ‌economic crisis. Reports ⁠had suggested the ​Trump ‌administration was seeking to ​remove ⁠Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from power.

(Reporting by Anusha Shah and Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Aidan ​Lewis)