Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla warned that the country was facing a serious humanitarian crisis because of what he described as a US-led fuel blockade and increasing threats from Washington.
“I call on the international community to mobilise to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe that could be imposed through arms or the fuel blockade,” Rodriguez told the council, according to an AFP report. He added that “now should be the time for solidarity with Cuba.”
The remarks come at a time of
Growing pressure from Washington
Cuba has struggled for decades under a US trade embargo first imposed after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. The country has long faced shortages of food, medicine and fuel, while widespread power blackouts have become increasingly common.
The situation worsened after the Trump administration cut off oil supplies coming from Venezuela, one of Cuba’s main allies. Washington has also introduced additional sanctions targeting Cuban entities and officials in recent weeks.
Tensions escalated further after US authorities indicted former Cuban president Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two small planes. The indictment includes charges of conspiracy and murder linked to the deaths of four people.
Cuba has strongly rejected the charges, calling them politically motivated and part of a broader campaign aimed at destabilising the communist government. Rodriguez said that the accusations were “illegitimate and illegal” and intended to justify aggression against Cuba.
Appeal to the United Nations
In a separate message posted on social media, Rodriguez said that he had met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and asked for support in preventing what he described as a possible US military aggression against Cuba.
Me recibió amablemente el Secretario General de Naciones Unidas @antonioguterres.
Reiteré el compromiso de #Cuba con la paz y seguridad internacionales, el multilateralismo, la cooperación y el respeto al Derecho Internacional.
Expliqué nuestro rechazo a la infame, fraudulenta… pic.twitter.com/vS2tm6LGDA
— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) May 26, 2026
The foreign minister said that he warned that any military action would lead to “a bloodbath” and deepen the humanitarian suffering already facing the Cuban people. He also accused Washington of tightening economic restrictions through secondary sanctions and an “energy stranglehold.”
Despite the tensions, Rodriguez said that Cuba remained willing to continue bilateral talks with the United States, provided there was no interference in Cuba’s internal affairs or political system.
