Cuba Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández De Cossío says sanctions are stifling the island’s efforts to overhaul its economy and embrace capitalist reforms, while speaking with Bloomberg News' David Dura in an interview slated to air on Bloomberg This Weekend. He also acknowledges that people in Cuba are hoping political change in Washington might ease pressure on the island, he described that view as “wishful thinking.” Asked if Cuba still sees Venezuela as an ally, De Cossío said that while it was a “friendly” country, “ally is too strong of a word.”