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While millions of Cubans face endless blackouts, fuel shortages, and a worsening quality of life, the regime has once again united in defense of its socialist model and blamed the United States for the depth of the crisis.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, denounced this Sunday in Havana what he described as an "economic, commercial, and financial war" against Cuba, the result of more than six decades of sanctions imposed by Washington, according to the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
The official stated that the current situation is a direct consequence of a policy of "prolonged hostility," with actions he described as "disproportionate, ruthless, and asymmetric," aimed, he said, at weakening the Cuban economy and society.
Amidst the worst energy crisis in years, Fernández de Cossío defended the socialist system as a tool to withstand external pressure. He stated that the model allows for the prioritization of resources, the application of equitable measures, and the mobilization of the "national will" in the face of adversity.
The official narrative insists that socialism is a protective shield against economic suffocation. However, daily reality on the island is marked by hospitals facing supply shortages, paralyzed transportation, long lines to obtain fuel, and entire neighborhoods spending hours without electricity.
The deputy minister also launched an attack against media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The Economist, accusing them of lacking impartiality and showing “enthusiasm” for the country’s difficulties, while, according to his account, omitting criticism of the U.S. government.
In parallel, a letter circulated by The People’s Forum and signed by international figures such as Jane Fonda, Ed Harris, and Silvio Rodríguez was highlighted, in which they demand an end to the pressure policy against Cuba and warn that the oil blockade threatens to affect hospitals and schools.
But the discourse of socialist resistance takes place in a complex political context. A few days ago, Fernández de Cossío himself admitted in an interview with CNN that there are message exchanges “at the highest level” between Havana and Washington, although he denied that there is a formal bilateral dialogue.
Nonetheless, he made it clear that the regime is not willing to discuss its political system or constitutional model, even amid the tightening of U.S. policy under the Donald Trump administration, which has increased sanctions and pressured third countries to limit oil supply to the island.
While Havana denounces “mass punishment” and “crime” due to energy pressures, it has also acknowledged that it might be compelled to implement austerity measures to conserve fuel.
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