Cuban activists paraded on Thursday ​on bikes and electric tricycles along Havana’s waterfront Malecon ‌boulevard, accompanied by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, in a show of defiance amid US efforts to starve the island of fuel.

Participants in the government-organised ​caravan rode past the US Embassy in the Cuban capital, ​their electric and pedal-powered vehicles displaying flags and banners ⁠attacking the sanctions imposed on the country by President Donald Trump’s ​administration.

The rally came a day after Cuba’s top diplomat in Washington ​publicly invited the US government to help overhaul Cuba’s crippled economy as part of ongoing negotiations that have yet to yield results.

Participants in the rally ​said they favoured talks with the United States but demanded respect ​for Cuba.

“I believe that genuine dialogue between both governments is possible, but international ‌law ⁠and our country’s autonomy must be respected,” said Sheila Ibatao, a Havana law student and participant.

Diaz-Canel did not speak during the event.

The Cuban government often organises large rallies at the US Embassy. ​

This caravan was ​smaller and more ⁠discreet, hampered by fuel shortages that have crippled mobility and hobbled public transportation.

A Russian-flagged tankership arrived ​in Cuba this week and offloaded 700,000 barrels ​of crude ⁠oil, promising some relief in the coming weeks.

The Trump administration, which has threatened to slap tariffs on countries that export oil to ⁠Cuba ​and explicitly prohibited imports of Russian oil, ​said it allowed the Russian-flagged tanker to dock in Cuba’s Matanzas port for humanitarian ​reasons.