Channels of communication remain open but no formal talks as pressure builds on Cuba. Daily Briefing — October 6, 2026 TL;DR: Havana's top diplomat in Washington says back-channel contacts continue via calls and WhatsApp but no negotiations, as Caribbean tourism leaders meet in Guyana with Cuba down two-thirds of visitors. 📰 News on Cuba Channels open, no negotiations Cuba and the US have maintained "channels of communication" but are not engaged in any formal negotiations, Havana's chargé d'affaires in Washington, Lianys Torres Rivera, told Reuters on Oct 5. She said Cuba remains open to a "respectful" dialogue but is "not naïve" about President Trump's threats and has increased preparations to defend the island. Contacts have involved meetings, phone calls and WhatsApp messages with no progress toward an agenda. Tourism collapse in focus at SOTIC The Caribbean Tourism Organization's State of the Tourism Industry Conference opened Oct 5-9 in Georgetown, Guyana — the first time Guyana hosts the flagship event — with Cuba's crisis high on the agenda. Cuba lost 62.8% of arrivals Jan-July 2026, drawing just 419,863 visitors, and three hotel chains have suspended contracts. The theme is "Tourism futures: smart, sustainable and inclusive." Fuel blockade and sanctions backdrop The weekend's seizures continue to shape supply: the US Coast Guard said Friday it seized two ships with thousands of gallons of diesel illegally bound for Cuba and intercepted the cargo ship "Grace" using dark-fleet tactics. The moves are part of the fuel blockade imposed in January after Venezuelan oil shipments stopped, following a May 1 executive order expanding sanctions on security-linked actors, corruption and banks doing business with designated entities. Wholesale opening and visa update On Oct 3, Cuba published rules in the Official Gazette allowing foreign company branches to import, export and distribute goods wholesale domestically for the first time in 60 years, bypassing Cuban intermediaries. Separately, the State Department said Oct 3 that Cuban natives are ineligible for the 2026 Diversity Visa lottery because more than 50,000 Cubans immigrated in the past five years.