Cuban FM: US Secretary of State lying about fuel blockade

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla has accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of dishonesty regarding Washington's alleged fuel blockade against Cuba. Rodriguez asserted on Saturday that Rubio's statements contradict both US President Donald Trump and his own spokeswoman by denying the existence of a total fuel blockade, which he claims the White House acknowledges.

"When the US secretary of state talks about incompetence in Cuba, he should be asked why he lies chronically and contradicts the US president and his spokeswoman by denying the existence of the total fuel blockade that the White House acknowledges," Rodriguez wrote on the social media platform X. He further stated that Rubio's references to Cuba's situation are attempts to evade responsibility and portray himself as a savior.

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When the US secretary of state talks about incompetence in Cuba, he should be asked why he lies chronically and contradicts the US president and his spokeswoman by denying the existence of the total fuel blockade that the White House acknowledges.

The Cuban minister denounced what he described as an "economic suffocation plan" orchestrated by Rubio and the US administration. This plan, according to Rodriguez, prevents foreign companies from supplying parts and technology to Cuba's thermoelectric plants. It also allegedly bars any global company from selling oil to Cuba and imposes sanctions on CUPET, the Cuban state oil company.

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The plan "prevents any company in the world from selling oil to our country" and sanctions CUPET, the Cuban company that has the infrastructure and capacity to handle fuel logistics in Cuba.

Rodriguez further detailed that the US plan targets nickel companies, threatens foreign firms involved in Cuba's tourism and mining sectors, revokes ESTA visa eligibility for foreign citizens visiting Cuba, and pressures states that maintain health cooperation agreements with Cuba. He accused Rubio of openly advocating for the subversion of Cuba's constitutional order and persistently seeking US military intervention on the island.

This accusation comes in the context of an executive order signed by President Trump earlier in 2026, which authorized the White House to impose tariffs on countries exporting fuel to Cuba. So far this year, Cuba has reportedly received only one oil shipment, approximately 100,000 tonnes of crude oil transported by a Russian vessel.

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He added that Rubio "openly calls for the subversion of Cuba's constitutional order and persistently seeks US military intervention in Cuba."