Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla reports on severe impact of intensified blockade

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Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla presented the latest report on the impact of the U.S. embargo, emphasizing stalled communications with Washington and severe socio-economic damages to Cuba.

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla addressed national and international press on Monday, September 7, to present the 2026 Report on Cuba concerning the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States. The event included 47 correspondents from 25 media outlets across 12 countries and was broadcast live on Cuban television, radio, and official digital platforms.

Rodríguez presented detailed figures on the damages caused by the U.S. embargo:

Damages between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026: $8.083 billion, a 7% increase over the previous year.

Accumulated damages: $178.75 billion at current prices, a 4.7% increase from prior reporting.

He highlighted the impact on energy, water supply, healthcare, transportation, and everyday life. Fuel shortages and restrictions on importing essential equipment have led to prolonged blackouts and interruptions in water and medical services, including challenges in running incubators, surgical operations, and hemodialysis for patients.

He noted that "he blockade doesn't punish a government. It punishes the daily life of a people in every aspect."

"The cruelty of collective punishment is evident in the thousands of Cubans who struggle daily to get to work without public transportation because the vehicle fleet is practically paralyzed due to a lack of fuel," Rodríguez stated..

Regarding the report, he stated that it "brings eloquent examples, heartbreaking testimonies, and irrefutable data on the effects of the blockade on our economy, on human rights, and on people's daily lives. Behind every statistic is a human face. Behind every blockade measure is a tragedy, harm, or family drama."

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Rodríguez portrayed these hardships as direct consequences of U.S. measures on an entire population, describing them as acts of collective punishment and drawing parallels with historical policies explicitly designed to weaken Cuba’s economic and social infrastructure.

Rodríguez confirmed that contacts with the U.S. State Department continue, but he stressed there is no progress toward negotiations, agreements, or formal roadmaps. He held the U.S. government responsible for the stalemate, citing a lack of willingness to engage while reiterating that Cuba is open to dialogue based on international law, equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in internal affairs. The Cuban Foreign Minister clarified that these contacts were exploratory and not formal negotiations, a stance consistent with previous statements dating back to March 2026, when a preliminary communication channel was opened.

The report will again be debated at the United Nations General Assembly, reflecting Cuba’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to gather international support for ending the embargo. Rodríguez emphasized that, despite U.S. intimidation and coercion, Cuba continues to implement policies to protect social programs, maintain healthcare, and expand education under extremely constrained circumstances.

In his remarks, the Foreign Minister also highlighted the resilience and adaptation of Cuban systems, including accelerated deployment of solar energy and local generation solutions to mitigate the effects of the embargo on electricity and water supply.