LA HABANA (AP) — Following the Cuban Parliament’s approval of the most significant economic reform since the revolution, experts view the measures as promising. Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, a negotiator with the United States and grandson of Raúl Castro, emphasized that Cuba poses no threat to the U.S., despite the ongoing energy blockade.

In his first interview since U.S.-Cuba talks began, Rodríguez Castro, who met privately with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in February, told The National News of the UAE that Cuba is open to ‘cordial’ discussions. ‘Cuba poses no threat to U.S. interests or national security… We continue to offer a civilized relationship, based on respect and equality,’ stated Rodríguez Castro in the interview published Thursday. Though he doesn’t hold a government office in Cuba, Rodríguez Castro, the chief custodian for his grandfather, acted as a negotiator recently.

Since January, the U.S. has imposed an energy and financial blockade on Cuba, intensifying the crisis over the past five years. This has heavily impacted daily life, causing power outages lasting up to 20 hours and hindering health, transport, industry, and education services. U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that his maximum pressure strategy aims for political and economic change in Cuba. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned of possible economic openings but affirmed the commitment to the socialist model.

‘It is difficult for Cuba to engage in any conversation, negotiation, or dialogue in such a hostile environment,’ Rodríguez Castro commented.

The reform agenda requires lifting sanctions. On Friday, experts remarked that the free market measures passed by the Cuban Parliament are beneficial, although some depend on lifting U.S. sanctions for smooth implementation. ‘Decades-long pillars of the revolutionary economy, like the state monopoly on foreign trade and centralized productive forces, have been dismantled,’ stated Cuban-American political scientist and lawyer Luis Carlos Battista to The Associated Press.

The National Assembly approved a package of 176 measures, allowing more space for private enterprises, direct import/export options, and even fast-food chains to establish in the country. However, Battista noted ‘numerous challenges’ such as ‘slow and inefficient’ bureaucracy and distrust among entrepreneurs and investors.

Lee Schlenker, a Quincy Institute researcher in Washington, observed, ‘We’ll have to see their real development, implementation, and execution; whether they become politicized, selectively applied, or truly equal in treatment of all economic actors.’ Both experts highlighted that without lifting U.S. sanctions — such as financial penalties on GAESA state conglomerate partners — many measures remain unfeasible. ‘Their true effect depends on the gradual lifting of U.S. prohibitions and sanctions,’ Schlenker added.

Paolo Spadoni, an associate professor in the Social Sciences Department at Augusta University, Georgia, warned that reform success hinges on the authorities’ implementation speed. ‘Cuban leaders hoping to survive this unprecedented crisis and U.S. pressure must act swiftly for tangible results,’ he told AP.

Cubans expressed mixed feelings about the reform. Adolfo Sánchez, a 63-year-old private business employee, said, ‘I think these measures will bring improvement… in these difficult times.’ Conversely, Juana Pérez, a 54-year-old household goods seller, remarked with skepticism, ‘If I have 30 hours without power, how will I see ads on TV? I leave for work in the dark and return home in the dark. It’s getting worse every day.’