The president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stated on Wednesday that the people of Cuba "are suffering from hunger because they do not want them to have access" to basic necessities, referring to the actions of the United States government against the island.
Lula made those statements during the opening of the 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Brasilia.
“Cuba is not suffering from hunger because it does not know how to produce or generate its own energy. Cuba is suffering from hunger because they do not want it to have access to the things that everyone should have the right to,” said the Brazilian president, presenting the Cuban case as an example in his criticism of world leaders who, according to him, prioritize defense spending over the fight against hunger.
In his intervention, Lula contrasted the situation in Cuba with that of Haiti, stating that if Cuba is not "cared for" for ideological reasons—citing the argument of not helping Cuba because it is "a communist country"—then Haiti should be helped, which he described as "devastated" and plagued by gangs, facing a comparable level of hunger.
Lula's message to the region: "wake up" and prioritize hunger
In that context, Lula urged the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to "wake up" and declare that they do not accept "submission" and that they want, "in a sovereign manner," food for their peoples.
He also argued that the region is a "zone of peace" and questioned the logic of "preparing for war" as a means to achieve peace.
The Brazilian president insisted that the persistence of hunger is not due to climatic conditions, but rather to "irresponsibility and lack of commitment," and emphasized that it can only be eradicated with "political determination," according to the report.
As noted by EFE, Lula's remarks come amid a fuel supply crisis in Cuba, which he attributes to new "blockades" or pressures imposed by the Government of Donald Trump.
In this context, Trump signed an executive order on January 29 threatening tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, claiming that the island poses a threat to the national security of the United States.
Additionally, energy pressure would have intensified since January 3, when the U.S. announced the end of Venezuelan oil supplies to the island following a military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuela's president, Nicolás Maduro. Trump then urged Havana to negotiate "before it's too late."
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