Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel once again focused his public speech on the United States' blockade and what he described as an "energy suffocation," but he referred to the alleged "friendly takeover" of Cuba that U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned this Friday.
In a message shared on X, "on behalf of Cuba," Díaz-Canel expressed gratitude for the condemnation by Brazilian intellectuals of what he described as a "genocidal attempt" by the U.S. to "complete the strangling cycle of the blockade with energy suffocation," and referred to a statement from the Network in Defense of Humanity – Brazil.
The Brazilian statement in the text asserts that U.S. sanctions are "anachronistic and inhumane," particularly affecting vulnerable sectors, and have been condemned annually by the UN General Assembly since 1992.
It also states that these measures were imposed in 1960 with the aim of overthrowing Fidel Castro's government and that they were particularly reinforced during Trump's first term.
The document states that between 2017 and 2020, Trump imposed 243 measures, and that some of these sanctions affected areas such as medical cooperation, remittances, and tourism.
The statement cited by Díaz-Canel asserts that on January 29, 2026, the Trump administration adopted a presidential decree labeling Cuba as an "extraordinary and unusual threat" to the security of the United States and imposed tariffs on any country supplying oil to the island.
In that context, the text argues that Cuba is not experiencing "a crisis," but rather is "a victim of economic crime," and calls on the international community to reject the "economic and energy strangulation" and provide urgent support in the face of a situation it describes as "extremely grave."
These messages from Díaz-Canel, where he reiterates his arguments about the embargo on Cuba, come on the same day that Donald Trump stated that his administration will initiate a "friendly and controlled takeover" of the island.
Trump used the expression "friendly and controlled takeover" to refer to the approach his administration will adopt regarding Cuba, although the specific details of this initiative have not been publicly outlined so far.
In addition, according to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio "is holding talks with the regime at the highest level."
Filed under: