For more than six decades, Cuba has endured the impact of an economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government. This is not simply a bilateral issue; it is a violation of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and international trade regulations.
The essence of this hostility toward the Cuban revolutionary process was exposed over 60 years ago by Lester D. Mallory, then U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, who in 1960 stated that the objective of U.S. policy against Cuba should be to employ “every possible means to weaken Cuba’s economic life,” in order to “bring about hunger, desperation, and the overthrow of the government.”
That roadmap, conceived in the midst of the Cold War, not only persists but has been refined. The strategy has always been to economically suffocate the country while simultaneously constructing a narrative that blames the Cuban government for the very shortages the blockade itself creates.
What the Cuban people face today is not merely the continuation of this policy, but its mutation into a more aggressive and cruel phase. The executive order issued by President Donald Trump on January 29, 2026, threatens to impose punitive tariffs on countries that attempt to supply oil to Cuba, establishing a total energy siege designed to starve an entire population into submission.
What does it mean to prevent a single drop of oil from reaching a nation? It means disrupting food transportation, food production, the functioning of hospitals, schools, and universities, and forcing families to endure long hours without electricity.
It is a direct attack on daily life, an attempt to break the will of the people through despair. By targeting our fuel supply, the United States deliberately seeks to strangle the economy and undermine the lives of Cuban families.
Recently, Cuba’s Minister of Public Health shared figures that reveal the impact of this energy blockade specifically on the health sector. As a direct consequence of this escalation by the U.S. government, Cuba’s surgical waiting list has reached 96,387 patients, of whom 11,193 are children.
Meanwhile, interruptions in refrigerated transport due to fuel shortages have hindered timely vaccination for more than 30,000 children, despite the vaccines being available in our warehouses.
Behind these numbers are patients who suffer and families who wait. Can the world remain indifferent in the face of such genocide?
Cuba poses no threat to the security of the United States. Cuba is a nation of peace that defends multilateralism and cooperation among peoples. The Cuban government has consistently reiterated its willingness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. government on the basis of respect for sovereignty and self-determination.
In the face of a siege that seeks to starve us into surrender, Cuba once again rises as a symbol of resistance, humanism, and the unbreakable will to decide its own destiny. Our call is simple: “Let Cuba live in peace.”
Yadirys Echenique Paz is the resident Ambassador of Cuba to Grenada