Cuban FM Blames US Blockade for Power Crisis, Rejects Claims Cuba Threatens Washington

By Staff, Agencies

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla has accused the United States of being responsible for the country’s recurring electricity outages, arguing that Washington’s long-standing blockade has severely undermined Cuba’s energy sector.

In a post on X, Rodríguez said repeated disruptions to Cuba’s National Electric System [SEN] are the direct result of what he described as the US “genocidal blockade,” particularly sanctions targeting the country’s energy industry.

According to Rodríguez, the restrictions not only limit Cuba’s ability to import fuel but also prevent the acquisition of essential spare parts for the national power grid, obstruct technical cooperation with foreign specialists, and make it more difficult to secure international financing for infrastructure projects.

He accompanied his remarks with the hashtag #CubaNoEsUnaAmenaza [“Cuba is not a threat”], asserting that the US blockade—not Cuba—is the real threat.

In a separate statement, Rodríguez criticized comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accusing Washington of falsely portraying Cuba as a security threat in order to justify continued sanctions and political pressure.

He dismissed claims that Cuba poses a danger to the United States, describing them as baseless and intended to legitimize what he called collective punishment against the Cuban people. Rodríguez also warned that any military escalation would have serious consequences for both Cuban and American citizens.

The foreign minister reiterated that Cuba presents no threat to the United States and maintained that the US embargo remains the country’s greatest obstacle to economic stability and development.

His comments come amid increased pressure from Washington, including expanded sanctions and reports of heightened US intelligence activity focused on Cuba.

According to a Politico report, the Trump administration has expanded its intelligence presence on the island in recent months, including increasing CIA personnel and other intelligence assets as part of a broader strategy toward Havana.

The report, citing sources familiar with the plans, said the expanded presence could support a range of potential actions, including military options or efforts to influence public opinion against the Cuban government.

It also suggested that the administration may prioritize Cuba in its foreign policy agenda even before resolving other international issues, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio playing a central role in shaping US policy toward the island.

At the same time, the Trump administration has intensified economic measures against Cuba. In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on imports from countries that supply oil to Cuba and declared a national emergency over what his administration described as a threat posed by the Cuban government to US national security.

Cuban officials say the additional sanctions have further restricted fuel imports, worsening shortages that have affected electricity generation, transportation, food production, healthcare, and education.

Havana has consistently condemned US sanctions as a form of economic warfare, arguing that they restrict access to essential goods, international financing, energy supplies, and the resources needed to maintain critical infrastructure.

The latest exchange comes as Cuba continues to struggle with a deepening energy crisis. On Saturday, five of the country’s 15 provinces lost electricity following another partial collapse of the National Electric System. State-owned utility Unión Eléctrica de Cuba [UNE] said the outage began at 6:07 p.m. local time and affected Havana and several western regions.

Cuban authorities attribute the worsening power crisis to fuel shortages, explaining that limited diesel supplies have reduced the country’s ability to operate backup generators and stabilize the national electricity grid. They also maintain that decades of US sanctions have significantly constrained Cuba’s access to fuel, spare parts, international markets, and financing needed to modernize and maintain its energy infrastructure.