In a speech filled with anti-American rhetoric, Cuban Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla asserted before the UN that Cuba will endure "deprivations and sufferings" but will maintain its sovereignty and resilience against what he described as a policy of aggression by the United States.
Rodríguez Parrilla opened his intervention before the UN Human Rights Council, denouncing what he called a “dictatorship” of global power exercised by Washington and accused the United States of imposing an international order based on “expropriation as an exceptional and supreme right.”
In this context, he directly blamed the executive order issued by the U.S. president Donald Trump on January 29 for causing, as he stated, a "collective punishment of the Cuban people" and an attempt to create a "humanitarian disaster" through the energy blockade of the island.
From Geneva, the Cuban chancellor attributed the economic difficulties faced by the population to this U.S. policy, while defending the country's ability to navigate the crisis: “We are a conscious, educated, and brave people... with strong systems in education, health, and science,” he asserted, also highlighting natural resources and efforts in solar energy as pillars of that resilience.
Rodríguez Parrilla's intervention comes amid an unprecedented level of pressure from Washington.
After the American military intervention in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, the island lost its main source of oil and faces a supply disruption worsened by threats of sanctions against third countries that attempt to provide for it.
This situation has deepened an energy and social crisis that, according to international reports, has left the country on the brink of paralysis, with severe impacts on transportation, supply, and basic services.
The White House has also toughened its public stance, demanding "very drastic changes very soon" from Cuba and noting that the regime is collapsing under the weight of its own economic crisis.
At the same time, there are unconfirmed reports of contacts between representatives of the U.S. government and sectors of the Cuban leadership, in a context of potential negotiations to prevent a complete power vacuum on the island.
On social media and within Cuban exile circles, the criticisms of the intervention by the Cuban regime's chancellor were harsh.
Many users agreed that Rodríguez Parrilla used the official discourse to divert attention from poor internal management and solely blame the United States for all structural problems in the Cuban economy.
Rodríguez Parrilla concluded his speech by affirming the unity and determination of the Cuban people to persevere, and reiterated Havana's willingness to engage in dialogue with Washington “based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, and reciprocal benefit,” although without preconditions.
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