Díaz-Canel denounced U.S. "political genocide" and demanded an end to the oil embargo

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel launched a strong condemnation of the U.S. oil embargo and escalating sanctions, labeling Washington's policies as "political genocide." Speaking on Sunday, Díaz-Canel criticized a recent U.S. State Department report that accused Cuba of infiltrating the U.S. government and backing "an unprecedented wave of left-wing terrorism on U.S. soil."

"By accusing Cuba, they are not only seeking a scapegoat, an external agent, they are looking for someone to blame for the protest of the sectors most affected by an economy that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer," Díaz-Canel stated. He added, "They are looking for a new excuse to sustain their political genocide against Cuba."

The Cuban leader also derided U.S. State Department officials, describing them as "a modern version of the drafters of military edicts and decrees that were so feared and hated in the dark medieval times or in the Nazi occupations of World War II."

The speech highlighted the deepening tensions between Havana and Washington. The U.S. oil embargo and expanded sanctions under the Trump administration have exacerbated Cuba's worst economic crisis in decades, leading to rolling blackouts and widespread fuel shortages. The address was part of government celebrations marking the 73rd anniversary of Fidel Castro's guerrilla attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953, an event that initiated the rebellion that eventually overthrew U.S.-backed leader Fulgencio Batista.

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By accusing Cuba, they are not only seeking a scapegoat, an external agent, they are looking for someone to blame for the protest of the sectors most affected by an economy that makes the rich richer and the poor poorer. They are looking for a new excuse to sustain their political genocide against Cuba.