SouthernWorldwide.com – A heated exchange took place at the United Nations between U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, following a nationwide blackout that plunged nearly 10 million Cubans into darkness.
Cuba’s foreign minister accused the United States of committing an “act of war” by restricting fuel shipments to the island. This accusation came after Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed, marking the third such failure this year and the eighth since October 2025, according to Reuters.
Electricity was partially restored to some areas of Cuba, including about a third of Havana, by Tuesday morning. However, many regions continued to experience power outages or unstable service.
Minister Rodríguez characterized U.S. actions as a “multidimensional, non-conventional war” that had become increasingly severe over the past seven months. He specifically described the U.S. efforts to limit fuel deliveries as an imposition of an “energy collapse, equivalent to a naval blockade, which is an act of war.”
Ambassador Waltz vehemently rejected the notion of a U.S. naval blockade around Cuba. He stated unequivocally that there were no U.S. Navy warships surrounding the island to block trade or humanitarian aid.
“It’s fake. It’s false. It’s a lie. Period,” Waltz declared, directly refuting the Cuban minister’s claims.
Waltz argued that the true embargo was the one imposed by the Cuban government on its own citizens. He asserted that this embargo had been enforced “mercilessly” for decades.
He urged the Cuban government to “change your ways” and “turn the lights back on for your people.” Waltz accused Cuban leaders of prioritizing power for government facilities and propaganda operations while ordinary families struggled with spoiled food, hospitals lacking electricity, and dead phone batteries.
The ambassador highlighted that the meeting occurred shortly before the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, demonstrations. During those protests, thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest shortages of food, medicine, and electricity, and to demand greater freedoms.
As Waltz delivered his remarks, a member of the Cuban delegation began pounding on the table. Waltz responded by stating, “This is not Havana. This is the United States of America. This is the United Nations.”
“And we will speak, we will be heard, and we will not be silenced like your own people. So, pound away,” Waltz retorted, asserting the right to free speech at the international forum.
Waltz then presented photographs and read the names of several jailed Cuban artists, musicians, and activists. These included Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo Pérez, and Duannis Dabel León Taboada.
He described these individuals as unarmed and non-violent, noting that they were imprisoned for activities such as carrying flowers, writing poems, and composing music. Waltz accused the Cuban regime of beating, detaining, and attempting to break these individuals for their peaceful expressions.
Furthermore, Waltz pointed to GAESA, Cuba’s military-run conglomerate, stating that it controls approximately half of the country’s economy and holds an estimated $18 billion in assets. Reuters has reported varying estimates of GAESA’s economic influence, ranging from 40% to 70%, though Cuban officials dispute the U.S. government’s $18 billion figure.
Waltz also countered Cuba’s blockade narrative by noting that humanitarian assistance had recently arrived from various countries, including China, Russia, Mexico, and Canada, as well as from Spain, the European Union, and the United Nations.
He added that the United States itself had provided over $100 million in aid this year and approximately $500 million annually in commodities.
Waltz suggested that Cuba’s decision to bring the issue before the General Assembly was a tactic. “The answer is simple: because blaming the United States is the only economic plan Havana has left,” he stated.
Prior to the main debate, U.S. Representative for U.N. Management and Reform Jeffrey Bartos objected to the agenda item’s reopening. He called for a vote on whether the proceedings should continue, estimating the three-hour meeting would cost approximately $84,000.
Bartos argued that this sum could instead provide essential resources like food, emergency medical supplies, and solar lanterns to Cuban families. “Right now, Cuba is in darkness — again,” he said, urging the Cuban regime to restore power.
Members of the Cuban delegation again interrupted Bartos by pounding on the table. Bartos responded with a touch of sarcasm, “Keep banging away. It’s very effective,” before continuing his address.
Bartos accused Havana of seeking “another propaganda clip” rather than genuine solutions. He cited his assertion that the government held more than 800 political prisoners.
Estimates of political prisoners vary among independent organizations. Human Rights Watch reported in April that over 700 individuals remained imprisoned for political reasons. Prisoners Defenders stated in the spring of 2026 that there were more than 1,200 political prisoners in Cuba, though Cuba denies holding anyone for political reasons.
“That is the real Cuban embargo,” Bartos concluded. “It is the embargo the regime imposes on its own people: on speech, on faith, on enterprise, on dissent, on political rights and hope — and now, quite literally, on light.”
Minister Rodríguez dismissed the U.S. delegation’s statements as “worn-out lies” and accused them of trying to prevent the General Assembly from discussing the impact of American policies.
Cuba’s electricity crisis is attributed to severe fuel shortages and an aging, poorly maintained power infrastructure struggling to meet demand. The Cuban government primarily blames U.S. restrictions for these issues, while Washington points to the island’s communist economic policies, corruption, and repression as the root causes of its broader economic crisis.
