Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez subtly turned down the United States' offer of assistance during Cuba's ongoing energy crisis, challenging the Biden Administration to lift the economic embargo. "A total of 41 countries and several international organizations have shown solidarity with Cuba, which faces the simultaneous impacts of a cyclone and an energy emergency, with remarkable resilience. The United States claims we haven't asked for anything. Here is our demand: End the Blockade," Díaz-Canel stated on social media.
In his message, Díaz-Canel highlighted international solidarity while taking the opportunity to criticize the United States for its longstanding economic embargo on the island. He has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the shortcomings of his own government, particularly its flawed economic strategies, which have led to the current crisis characterized by widespread power outages, fuel shortages, food scarcity, and a halt to cultural and social activities.
Devastation in Eastern Cuba
The situation is particularly dire in eastern Cuba, which has been severely affected by Hurricane Oscar. In Guantánamo, there have been seven confirmed deaths, with some individuals still missing and communities remaining isolated.
Díaz-Canel maintains that the blame for the hardships faced by the Cuban people lies with the "Blockade," as the regime commonly refers to the embargo. This week, the U.S. government expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Cuba and indicated that they are open to cooperating with Cuban authorities. "We are concerned about the potential humanitarian impact on the Cuban people. As we've observed in recent years, Cuba's economic conditions, stemming from a prolonged mismanagement of policies and resources, have undeniably increased the population's hardships," stated White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
U.S. Stands Firm on Responsibility
The U.S. government reiterated that it is "not responsible" for the blackouts and confirmed that the Cuban regime "has not requested any assistance so far." They also clarified that if such a request were made, the Biden Administration would consider appropriate steps to provide support to Cuba.
After a couple of days of silence, Díaz-Canel responded to these statements on Wednesday, continuing his "policy of continuity" by shutting the door on potential aid and blaming the embargo once again.