Cuban president says lifting US blockade easier than $100M aid
Miguel Diaz-Canel said Thursday that Washington could alleviate Havana's humanitarian crisis more effectively by lifting its energy embargo rather than offering $100 million in assistance, as the island faces complete fuel depletion and its worst shortage in decades.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday dismissed a $100 million US aid proposal as insufficient, stating that lifting Washington's energy blockade would provide far more effective relief to the island's deepening fuel crisis than direct humanitarian assistance. Diaz-Canel wrote on the social media platform X that removing sanctions would prove far simpler than accepting financial assistance. He described the island's humanitarian situation as deliberately manufactured, noting that Washington would not face ingratitude despite the apparent contradiction of offering aid while maintaining what he called systematic and ruthless collective punishment.
Fuel crisis and US offer
Havana announced Wednesday that it had completely depleted its reserves of fuel oil and diesel, leaving the national power grid in a critical state with no backup supplies. The declaration came one day after the US State Department renewed its offer to provide $100 million in direct humanitarian assistance while simultaneously urging political reforms and criticizing Cuba's communist leadership.
The energy embargo imposed by Washington on January 30 has exacerbated existing shortages, triggering widespread power outages across the Caribbean island. US officials have tied the aid package to conditions of governance reform, creating a diplomatic impasse as essential services deteriorate.
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Trump's threats
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly identified Cuba as the next target following American military operations against Iran, stating publicly that the island nation will fail "soon." His rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks, including a repost on his Truth Social platform suggesting he would visit a "free Havana" before leaving office.
The threats come as the administration maintains strict energy sanctions, leaving the island vulnerable to complete fuel depletion. Cuban authorities have struggled to maintain electrical generation without access to international oil markets, forcing rolling blackouts that have crippled hospitals and essential infrastructure.
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