Cuba slams Trump's reversal of newfound friendship

The Cuban government on Friday denounced US President Donald Trump's new measures to tighten the blockade on the island as a setback in US-Cuban relations, but said it remained willing to continue "respectful dialogue."

In a statement read out on the evening news, the Communist government said Trump was resorting to "coercive methods of the past" that hurt the Cuban people and prevented economic development but would not weaken the revolution.

"The Cuban government denounces the new measures hardening the blockade that are destined to fail ... and that will not achieve their aim of weakening the revolution," Havana said.

When former US president Barack Obama visited Cuba last year, it signalled a landmark moment in both his presidency and the history of US-Cuba relations by bringing 50 years of hostility and mistrust to end.

But during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump called Obama's policy change "a bad deal."

His tougher approach will prevent US dollars from being used to fund Cuba's government. It will also enforce stricter bans on Americans travelling there as tourists - a policy that will have major ramifications.

Yuri Barroso, a private bar promoter in Havana, is one of many who will be directly affected.

"Eighty-five percent of our clients are Americans," Barroso says. "Now, if Trump decides to reduce how many come in for tourism, it will create chaos."

TRT World's Azadeh Ansari reports from Washington.

On a positive note, the Cuban government said the two countries had proven over the past two years that they could cooperate and coexist in a civil manner, respecting their respective differences.

"But it should not be expected that to that end, Cuba will make compromises to its very sovereignty," it said. "The Cuban people will continue deciding itself on the changes necessary for Cuba."