Cuba: US Pressuring Nations Ahead of UN Vote on Blockade
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said Washington is using threats and coercion against sovereign states to prevent international condemnation of the decades-long US blockade on Cuba.
CUBA, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said the United States is carrying out an unprecedented campaign of pressure against sovereign nations ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly debate on Washington’s decades-long blockade of Cuba.
In a statement posted on X, Rodríguez said the US State Department is using threats and various forms of coercion to discourage countries from supporting another international condemnation of the blockade.
“Cuba is not a threat. The blockade is,” Rodríguez wrote.
Washington Seeking to Silence International Opposition
Rodríguez said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seeking to turn the international community into an accomplice to what he described as collective punishment against the Cuban people.
He said Washington’s policies amount to “a crime against humanity in full execution” and warned that any further escalation toward military confrontation would only serve political interests while placing both Cuban and American civilians at risk.
Rodríguez also said the United States continues to disregard international law and the UN Charter, calling on UN member states to reject the sanctions and support efforts to end the blockade during the General Assembly session.
Havana Reaffirms Commitment to Dialogue
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Rodríguez said negotiations with Washington remain stalled because of continued US sanctions and what he described as an extensive media campaign against Cuba.
He nevertheless reaffirmed Havana’s willingness to resolve differences through dialogue based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and non-interference in internal affairs.
Commenting on Washington’s announcement of a $100 million humanitarian assistance package for Cuba, Rodríguez said none of the promised aid has reached the island.
“If Washington truly cared about the Cuban people, it would lift the blockade,” he said.
Blockade Continues to Deepen Humanitarian Crisis
Rodríguez said the US blockade and sanctions continue to worsen shortages of fuel, food, medicine, electricity, and other essential services across Cuba.
Earlier this month, Washington imposed additional sanctions on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, senior government officials, and companies central to the island’s economy.
Rodríguez said the blockade and what he described as Washington’s policy of aggression have become “a threat to the existence and well-being of the Cuban people, and to the exercise of their human rights.”
The situation has further deteriorated since the United States imposed new energy-related restrictions earlier this year, contributing to prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, transportation disruptions, internet outages, reduced working hours, and interruptions to essential public services.
UN experts have also criticized the US fuel restrictions, warning that the measures carry severe humanitarian and human rights consequences for the Cuban people. (PW)