In light of the upcoming vote in the UN General Assembly on the Cuban resolution against the embargo, Juan Pablo Segura, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, emphasized the U.S. exports of goods to Cuba during 2025, and urged the international community to support the Cuban people, "not the regime."
In a message posted on X this Monday, the official stated that the United States sent over 810 million dollars in goods to the island during that year.
The statement was made prior to the debate on the embargo, scheduled for October 27 and 28 at the United Nations.
"The Cuban people are victims of a failed communist system. U.S. legislation has always allowed the export of food and medicine, resulting in the shipment of over 810 million dollars in goods to Cuba in 2025, while U.S. humanitarian aid distributes food and hygiene items directly to families in need," Segura wrote.
What do the nearly 810 million dollars exported to Cuba include?
The statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau place the value of exports at $809.6 million, slightly below the amount mentioned by Segura.
According to the official statistics of foreign trade from the United States, the 809.6 million dollars correspond to the total amount of goods exported to Cuba in 2025, not exclusively to food and medicine.
U.S. legislation provides for exceptions and authorization mechanisms for certain exports to the island, including food and medical products, although these operations are subject to applicable conditions and restrictions.
Segura emphasizes American humanitarian aid to Cuba
In another message shared on X, Segura referred to the U.S. humanitarian assistance aimed at the victims of Hurricane Melissa, which impacted eastern Cuba in October 2025.
The undersecretary stated that the Trump administration allocated 9 million dollars in direct aid through the Catholic Church and mentioned another 100 million channeled through humanitarian organizations.
«After Hurricane Melissa, the Trump administration allocated 9 million dollars in direct aid through the Catholic Church and is directing another 100 million dollars through Catholic Relief Services and Samaritan's Purse. We are helping the Cuban people directly, without subsidizing the regime,» he stated.
Segura emphasized that Washington has turned to religious and humanitarian organizations to distribute assistance directly to needy families, without channeling those resources through the Cuban government.
The Cuban government, for its part, maintains that U.S. sanctions affect the island's commercial and financial operations and calls for their removal through the resolution it submits annually to the United Nations.
The resolution of the General Assembly is not legally binding and does not require the U.S. Congress to amend the legislation that supports the embargo.
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