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The Guardian spoke to more than five top-level officials from different countries, and heard complaints that the US charge d'affaires, Mike Hammer, has failed to share any sort of detailed plan beyond bringing the island to a standstill by starving it of oil. One said: "There's talk of human rights, and that this is the year Cuba changes--but little talk of what happens afterwards."
Some hope that rumoured high-level discussions in Mexico between the Cuban government--in the form of Gen Alejandro Castro Espn, son of Cuba's 94-year-old former president Ral Castro--and US officials might produce a deal, but as yet there are no signs of progress.