Cuba Denounces U.S. Pressure Ahead of Anti-Blockade Vote

During a press conference, Rodríguez Parrilla reported that the United Nations General Assembly will consider the draft resolution titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” for its 34th edition.

The distinct element of this session, he stressed, is the explicit recognition of the energy blockade—the so-called fuel blockade—along with its productive toll and human consequences imposed on the entire population.

The Cuban diplomat presented official State Department documents that, as he denounced, instruct U.S. embassies to pressure host governments not to vote in favor of the resolution, to abstain, or to walk out of the hall.

The threats include applying punitive tariffs, suspending cooperation programs, denying visas to officials and their families, backing opposition forces, and enforcing secondary sanctions against entities maintaining relations with Cuba.

“The Department of State has reached the heights of absurdity and desperation,” affirmed Rodríguez Parrilla, describing these actions as an admission of Washington's isolation.

He noted that the United States is utilizing a Latin American country as a proxy to deliver a text written in Washington aimed at blaming the Cuban government for the humanitarian harm caused by the blockade.

The Foreign Minister also referred to the event convened on October 19 at UN headquarters by the U.S. mission, characterizing it as absurd and embarrassing.

He denounced that personal guests of the U.S. Permanent Representative included José Daniel Ferrer, convicted of common crimes, and noted that the guest list featured individuals linked to terrorist acts against Cuba, as recorded in the National List of Persons and Entities Subject to Criminal Investigations published in the Official Gazette on December 7, 2023.

He presented an interactive infographic tracking accumulated economic losses caused by the embargo in real time, which exceed $178.6 billion, including a record figure of over $8 billion in the latest period alone.

He further denounced that the energy siege causes long hours without electricity, drinking water shortages, the deterioration of health services, and preventable deaths due to a lack of medicines and medical equipment.

The Foreign Minister reiterated that these consequences stem from the infamous Mallory Memo, in effect for over 60 years, whose stated objective is to cause suffering and desperation among the Cuban population to bring about regime change.

When asked about the arrest warrant issued against Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, Rodríguez Parrilla called it an infamous act devoid of any legal, ethical, or practical validity.

He asserted that U.S. policy toward Cuba will have to change under this administration, the next, or the one after that, highlighting the resistance of the Cuban people and government efforts to navigate severe economic circumstances.

Rodríguez Parrilla emphasized that, despite the campaign of pressure, more than 40 heads of state and government and 43 international organizations have backed Cuba's claim with evidence, expressing confidence that the vote on October 27 and 28 will once again demonstrate Washington's diplomatic isolation.