The official spokesperson Humberto López described the new executive order signed by President Donald Trump that sanctions countries continuing to supply oil to the Cuban regime as a “massacre” and an “extermination.”
During his program on Canal Caribe, aired on February 3, 2026, López devoted a lengthy discussion to questioning Washington's decision, asserting that the measure constitutes a “brutal aggression against Cuba” and a violation of international law.
"The United States is forcing third countries to engage with Cuba in the way they dictate... If this is allowed, it would set a very dangerous precedent in international political and economic relations," he stated. He then added: "It is a massacre, it is slaughter, I repeat the word, this is extermination."
According to López, Trump's executive order "prevents the purchase of medications, medical equipment parts, and fuel needed to generate electricity in hospitals," which he described as an attempt to "annihilate" the Cuban people. "How many children, elderly people, or cancer patients are waiting for a medication that cannot be obtained because of the blockade?" he asked in front of the cameras.
The executive order and the oil blockade
The decree signed on January 29 by Donald Trump declares a national emergency and paves the way for imposing tariffs on products from countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba. The measure aims to cut off one of the main sources of economic survival for the regime in a context of prolonged blackouts, productive paralysis, and loss of Venezuelan energy support following the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3.
According to sources from the White House cited by Reuters, the executive order is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to provoke a regime change in Cuba before the end of 2026. Both argue that the island "will not be able to sustain itself without the flow of foreign crude" and that the collapse of Venezuelan supplies represents "a historic window of opportunity."
Denial of repression and official discourse
In that same program, López also defended the regime's stance on human rights and internal dissent, asserting that “in Cuba, political opponents are not persecuted”. He stated that on the island there are individuals who “commit crimes against state security and other common crimes,” but there is no ideological persecution.
The spokesperson insisted that the United States uses the argument of human rights as a "pretext" to justify its "political aggressiveness" and accused Washington of manipulating information about Cuba. In his speech, he compared cases of repression on the island with historical events in the United States, citing the murders of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and John F. Kennedy as examples of political violence "within the American system itself."
The facts contradict Humberto López
However, between August 2025 and January 2026, the Cuban regime deployed a sustained pattern of repression and harassment against activists and opponents. During the anniversary of the Maleconazo in August, dozens of dissenters were besieged or prevented from leaving the country to hinder public demonstrations. In November, a political prisoner from 11J left the island after reporting constant harassment and threats.
In January 2026, coinciding with the new sanctions from Washington, interrogations, house arrests, and forced relocations of opposition members intensified. These actions were carried out under the pretext of "defending state security," the same narrative used by López to deny the existence of political persecution.
Organizations such as Prisoners Defenders and Cubalex have documented hundreds of cases of political prisoners and retaliation for ideological reasons, directly contradicting the commentator's statements.
A speech aligned with power
Humberto López's intervention reinforces the official discourse of the regime, which aims to shift the responsibility for the internal crisis to the American embargo. In contrast, analysts argue that the Cuban economic collapse is primarily due to the structural inefficiency of the socialist system, military corruption, and the monopolistic control of GAESA over the strategic sectors of the economy.
While the Trump administration moves forward with pressure measures to financially isolate Havana, the official narrative attempts to keep its internal base cohesive by appealing to nationalism and historical victimhood. In this context, regime spokespersons—like López—amplify a message that combines denial of repression, dramatization of the embargo, and a staunch defense of the Cuban political model.
In a context of extreme scarcity and growing social discontent, López's statements seem intended to shield the narrative of power rather than provide real solutions to the shortcomings faced by the population.
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