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🇨🇺 Cuba /Elections & Politics

Cuba’s foreign minister presents report condemning the damage caused by the blockade

From Granma · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Press release Official statement Context piece
  • Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla presented a report accusing the US blockade of harming daily life and access to essential services.
  • He said fuel restrictions contribute to power cuts and hinder imports for thermal power plants, generators and solar systems.
  • Rodríguez said Cuba’s report to the United Nations focuses especially on the impact on families, including prolonged electricity shortages and reduced access to food and connectivity.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla presented Havana’s report on the US blockade by focusing on what he described as its effects inside Cuban homes: electricity shortages, spoiled food, heat, disrupted schooling and limited connectivity.

Speaking to Cuban and foreign media, Rodríguez said the economic, commercial and financial measures amounted to “collective punishment” against the population. The report, traditionally submitted by Cuba to the United Nations secretary-general at his request, contains information on the blockade’s economic, commercial and financial damage. This year, he said, it emphasizes the effect on people and families.

it does not punish a government, it punishes the daily life of a people in every sphere

· Bruno Rodríguez ParrillaThe Cuban foreign minister described the blockade’s claimed impact on households.

Rodríguez described households living for long periods with two or three hours of electricity a day, or less. He said food spoils, heat prevents sleep, parents fan their babies, children do homework in dim light, young people lose connectivity and recreation, and older people sometimes lack television or radio.

collective punishment

· Bruno Rodríguez ParrillaHe characterized the US economic, commercial and financial measures against Cuba.

He also condemned measures affecting fuel supplies. Rodríguez said a 29 January executive order by the US president blocked fuel supplies, including shipments that had already been paid for, by threatening sanctions. He said shipping companies were being intimidated and prevented from transporting parts for thermal power plants and photovoltaic systems.

According to Rodríguez, a 100,000-tonne crude-oil shipment could sharply reduce power cuts for about two weeks. Imports of fuel oil and diesel for distributed-generation units could reduce outages to a minimum, he said, but the fuel restrictions prevent those imports. Cuba has rapidly shifted its energy mix toward solar power, Rodríguez added, while pressure has also increased on shipping companies carrying solar panels and batteries.

a 100,000-tonne crude-oil ship would allow blackouts to be drastically reduced for approximately two weeks

· Bruno Rodríguez ParrillaHe explained the potential effect of a large fuel shipment on electricity shortages.
About this summary

Originally published by Granma in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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