In brief
During the 30th Ibero‑American Summit in Madrid, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez called U.S. sanctions an energy blockade and described them as inhumane collective punishment. He urged Ibero‑American countries to work together to counter the sanctions, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel shared his partner’s address on social media. The condemnation highlights how the U.S. has intensified economic pressure on Cuba over the past ten months, targeting trade and key resources.
Cuban officials reacted strongly to the United States’ intensified sanctions at the 30th Ibero‑American Summit held in Madrid on Nov. 4–5. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez has said the sanctions constitute an "energy blockade" and an "infinite level of collective punishment." He criticised the U.S. for targeting Cuban businesses and individuals who try to trade with the island.
President Miguel Díaz‑Canel posted on social media that Rodríguez’s address was a statement of Cuba’s deep‑rooted opposition to the U.S. sanctions policy. The summit was held under the pro‑temporary secretariat of Honduras, a country that has stressed the importance of equality and mutual respect among Ibero‑American nations.
Rodríguez said that over the past ten months Cuban companies and people have faced an unprecedented tightening of the United States trade embargo. He described the energy restrictions as a blockade comparable to a naval blockade, along with secondary sanctions on those who work with Cuban firms.
In his speech, the foreign minister urged that Ibero‑American communities take “joint projects, share knowledge and pursue common solutions” to protect their countries’ economic sovereignty and sustainable development.
He called for action aligned with the founding principles of the Ibero‑American Community to counter “arbitrary sanctions and the abuse of power.”
"The United States has pushed its obsessive war of economic strangulation against Cuba to inhumane levels of collective punishment," Rodríguez said.
The Cuban government’s critique underscores the ongoing tension between the island’s economic policy and the U.S. sanctions regime, as well as the importance that Cuba places on regional cooperation to defend its national interests.
