Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla today questioned the United States government’s assertion that the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed on the Caribbean nation does not affect the Cuban people.
“Ask the Cuban people if they suffer from the blockade,” the Foreign Minister stated during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Where he emphasized the need to end the U.S. embargo.
Rodríguez Parrilla affirmed that in the last seven months, U.S. policy has become more brutal and ruthless, noting that in addition to existing sanctions. An energy blockade has been imposed, which he described as equivalent to a naval blockade and an act of war.
He denounced coercive actions to prevent fuel shipments to Cuba. Including threats, sanctions, and pressure on vessels destined for energy supplies.
In addition to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade, unprecedented and extremely extraterritorial actions are being taken, he warned. Asserting that these measures are deliberately aimed at provoking a humanitarian crisis and destabilizing the country.
He outlined the hardships faced by the Cuban population as a consequence of these intensified measures. Including blackouts and difficulties accessing medicine, food, and other essential goods.
According to Rodríguez Parrilla, families, especially children, young people, and mothers, are suffering from prolonged and unbearable blackouts. He cited health indicators impacted by the restrictions. Such as infant mortality, which has increased from 4.0 per 1,000 live births to 9.9.
This represents the preventable deaths of 1,780 newborns, the Foreign Minister lamented.
He reported that the damages caused by the blockade between March 2025 and February 2026 amount to $8.103 billion at current prices. A seven percent increase compared to the previous period.
The cumulative impact since the implementation of this policy, according to Cuban calculations. It reaches $178.7 billion at current prices, the Cuban Foreign Minister pointed out.
Furthermore he rejected Washington’s narrative that Cuba represents a threat to U.S. security. Asserted that there is no evidence that it constitutes a risk to that country.
There is no statement from the Cuban government, no evidence, not even the slightest indication that Cuba intended to threaten the United States. On the contrary, the blockade suffocates and kills, the Foreign Minister asserted after declaring that these costs are the responsibility of the U.S. government.
With information from CNA
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