Cuban officials have forcefully denounced new sanctions announced by the United States, labeling them as unjust "unilateral coercive measures" that target its people.
The criticism was leveled by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on May 1, 2026. In a post on social media platform X, Rodriguez stated, "We firmly reject the recent unilateral coercive measures adopted" by the U.S. government. He characterized the actions as an attempt to impose "collective punishment on the Cuban people."
Rodriguez pointed out that the timing of the U.S. announcement was significant, coinciding with International Workers' Day, a date when millions of Cubans traditionally hold demonstrations. "Millions of Cubans take to the streets to denounce the US blockade and the energy siege," he noted, linking the new measures to a longstanding history of economic pressure.
The Foreign Minister also challenged the legal basis of the sanctions, calling them "extraterritorial in nature" and asserting they "violate the United Nations Charter." Rodriguez argued that "the United States has no right to impose measures against Cuba or against third countries or parties."
The diplomatic rebuke follows an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, reinstating and expanding certain economic restrictions on the island nation. The move marks a continuation of a complex and often contentious bilateral relationship, drawing immediate condemnation from Havana.
For observers of international relations and Latin American affairs, this development highlights ongoing tensions in U.S.-Cuba policy and the enduring debate over the use of economic sanctions as a tool of foreign policy.
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Cuba denounces new US sanctions as 'unilateral coercive measures'
cgtn.com
