Cuba Denounces U.S. Blockade at BRICS People's Summit in Brazil

Cuba condemned the extensive blockade imposed by the United States, which today hangs over the island more severely than ever, during its participation in the BRICS People's Summit, taking place in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.

Speaking on the panel "The New World Order, Hegemonic Disputes, and Geopolitical Reconfiguration," Katia Aruca, an official of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), detailed the concrete impacts of Washington's siege and its unprecedented intensification under the administration of President Donald Trump.

On another front, she emphasized that the strengthening of BRICS, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, is essential for achieving a new international order that is just, democratic, and equitable, capable of overcoming multidimensional crises.

She alluded to Cuba's activism in various spaces of that mechanism as a partner country, addressed the importance of continuing to strengthen political coordination within BRICS, and called for unity among leftist and progressive forces and movements.

Aruca also reiterated the firm solidarity of her people and government with the "sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and with the popular, military, and police unity led by President Nicolás Maduro."

She extended support to the Palestinian people, whose delegation was present at the event.

Led by the PCC, the island's delegation is composed of representatives from the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, the Federation of Cuban Women, the Central Union of Cuban Workers, and the Network of Intellectuals in Defense of Humanity.

Summit Aims to Amplify Global South's Voice

The forum brings together participants from 18 countries seeking to provide the Global South with a broader and more diverse voice in policy formulation within the alliance, now expanded to 11 members.

The so-called First People's Summit of the bloc, which will run until Friday, marks the debut of the BRICS Civil Society Council. Created in 2024 during the Kazan Summit, it is conceived as a permanent channel for dialogue with member governments.

Its mission is to turn social demands into concrete proposals to strengthen economic cooperation, redefine global governance, and advance toward a financial architecture less dependent on the US dollar.

Organizers describe the council as a milestone for institutionalizing citizen participation. They aim for voices historically absent from geopolitical decisions—such as peasants, youth, and grassroots organizations—to begin continuously influencing the strategic topics of the bloc.

The food agenda will be one of the central axes the new council wants to bring to the alliance's discussions. This summit is the last major BRICS event under the Brazilian presidency before India takes over the leadership in 2026.