President Donald Trump defended the US economic embargo against Cuba and conditioned advances in bilateral relations to political changes on the island in the direction of free elections, the release of political prisoners and respect for freedom of expression. "I am canceling the completely unilateral agreement of the last administration with Cuba", he said in a speech on Friday the 16th in Miami at the Manuel Artime Theater.

One of the objectives of the new agreement, Trump explained, is to ensure that the Cuban population benefits directly from the new agreement. The US president, however, sought to emphasize that "atrocities" committed since the beginning of the Castro brothers regime will not be tolerated and insinuated that the Obama administration folded its eyes to crimes committed against the island's population.

Trump said the sanctions will not be lifted until all political prisoners in the country are free, political parties are legalized, freedom of expression is restored, and free and internationally elected elections are marked. "The Cuban government must stop arresting innocent people and open its market to free trade", he added.

Surrounded by the community of exiles who oppose Castro, Trump attacked the Cuban government and predicted that its end "is near". "We respect the sovereignty of Cuba, but that does not mean we will turn our backs on the Cuban people", warned Trump. The president also said he is willing to negotiate a new agreement, "much better than before", with Cuba, provided the island takes steps towards political and economic liberalization.

Is Cuba finally going to see the light of capitalism? Is the island going to shut its doors to America once again? The answers to these questions lay in the hands of President Trump and dictator Raul Castro.