Actions by the U.S. to Suffocate the Cuban People Denounced in Italy

"Cuba, three ships, three ports, and three humanitarian shipments blocked: the island is suffocating" is the headline of an analysis published by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica regarding the situation currently facing the country amid escalating pressure from the United States.

The article denounces that, within a matter of days, the U.S. government disrupted the delivery of vital essential supplies to the island, including shipments of milk for children, as well as ventilators, hospital beds, medicines, and millions of medical devices intended for Cuban hospitals.

Giorgia Vernetti, spokesperson for the Let Cuba Breathe campaign, stated in remarks to the media outlet that "we are talking about goods that sustain the population's livelihood, which is now on the brink of exhaustion."

The article specifies that "these are not isolated incidents: it is a new manifestation of U.S. President Donald Trump's desire to suffocate the Cuban civilian population," referring to the intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade, which violates human rights.

According to the report, current actions "translate into threats to cut all commercial ties with shipping lines operating on the island, progressively paralyzing all supply channels." It highlights, in particular, a powdered milk shipment donated by European solidarity activists that has been blocked since last July 13th.

The cargo was reportedly rerouted to Mexico, and the shipping company announced that the vessel's load would be sent to the port of Veracruz in an attempt to find a subsequent logistical solution—though without guarantees that it will reach Cuba—while the Let Cuba Breathe campaign, which organized the shipment, was notified of additional costs.

These incidents demonstrate the impact of genocidal measures implemented by Trump through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, "which hypocritically do not directly ban the shipment of medicines or food, but instead target the shipping lines, insurers, and financial operators that facilitate their transport."

The result is that, despite the absence of a formal ban on humanitary goods arriving in Cuba, an increasing number of companies refuse to operate with the island to avoid the risk of severe economic consequences in the face of U.S. sanction threats, La Repubblica adds in its analysis.

Vernetti warned that with the entry into force in August 2026 of new U.S. measures targeting Cuban ports—specifically Mariel—the situation is likely to deteriorate further, leading solidarity activists to fear a near-total closure of logistical corridors for humanitarian aid.