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Cuba’s overseas minister accused the USA of committing an “act of battle” by limiting gas shipments to the island Tuesday, prompting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz to ship a forceful response blaming Cuba’s communist authorities for years of blackouts, repression and financial collapse.
The confrontation unfolded on the U.N. General Assembly at some point after Cuba’s nationwide electrical grid collapsed, leaving almost 10 million individuals with out energy. It was the third nationwide grid failure this 12 months and the eighth since October 2025, Reuters reported.
Cuban officers had restored electrical energy to elements of central Cuba and roughly one-third of Havana by Tuesday morning, though massive areas remained offline or confronted unstable service, in accordance with Reuters.
CUBA PLUNGES INTO THIRD MAJOR BLACKOUT THIS YEAR AS POWER CRISIS WORSENS
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz holds up {a photograph} of jailed Cuban dissidents throughout a Common Meeting debate on the U.S. embargo in opposition to Cuba at U.N. headquarters in New York on July 7, 2026. (UNTV)
Cuban Overseas Minister Bruno Rodríguez instructed delegates that the Trump administration was finishing up a “multidimensional, non-conventional war” in opposition to Cuba that had grown “extra merciless and ruthless within the final seven months.”
Rodríguez described U.S. efforts to restrict fuel deliveries because the imposition of “an power collapse, equal to a naval blockade, which is an act of battle,” in accordance with a UNTV transcript.
Waltz rejected the declare that the USA had established a naval blockade round Cuba.
“There is no such thing as a ring of Navy warships, U.S. Navy warships sitting round this island blocking commerce or humanitarian help going into Cuba,” Waltz mentioned. “It’s pretend. It’s false. It’s a lie. Interval.”
Waltz argued that the actual embargo was the one Cuba’s authorities imposed by itself residents.
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Individuals stroll on the road throughout a nationwide electrical grid collapse, in Havana, Cuba, March 14, 2025. (Norlys Perez/Reuters)
“There’s a number of discuss at present of an embargo. And certainly there’s one,” he mentioned. “It’s the embargo the Cuban regime mercilessly imposes by itself individuals decade after decade after decade.”
He referred to as on Havana to “change your methods” and “flip the lights again on in your individuals,” whereas accusing Cuba’s leaders of making certain that authorities compounds and propaganda operations had energy at the same time as households fearful about spoiled meals, hospitals shedding electrical energy and telephones working out of cost.
Waltz famous that Tuesday’s assembly got here days earlier than the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, demonstrations, when 1000’s of Cubans took to the streets amid shortages of meals, medication and electrical energy and demanded better freedom.
As Waltz spoke, a member of the Cuban delegation pounded on the desk, prompting the ambassador to reply.
“This isn’t Havana. That is the USA of America. That is the United Nations,” Waltz mentioned. “And we are going to communicate, we will likely be heard, and we won’t be silenced like your personal individuals. So, pound away.”
Waltz displayed pictures and skim the names of a number of jailed Cuban artists, musicians and activists, together with Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo Pérez and Duannis Dabel León Taboada.
MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS
Cuba’s Overseas Minister Bruno Rodriguez speaks throughout a information convention in Havana. (Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini)
“They’re not armed. They’re not violent,” Waltz mentioned. “They carry flowers, and write poems and write music. And for that, the regime beats them, detains them and tries to interrupt them.”
Waltz additionally mentioned GAESA, Cuba’s military-run conglomerate, controls roughly half of the nation’s economic system and holds $18 billion in property.
Reuters has reported that estimates of GAESA’s financial attain vary from roughly 40% to 70%, whereas Cuban officers dispute the U.S. authorities’s $18 billion determine.
Waltz mentioned that regardless of Cuba’s blockade claims, humanitarian help had lately arrived from nations together with China, Russia, Mexico, Canada and Spain, in addition to from the European Union and the United Nations.
He additionally mentioned the USA had offered greater than $100 million in help this 12 months and roughly $500 million yearly in commodities.
“The reply is straightforward: as a result of blaming the USA is the one financial plan Havana has left,” Waltz mentioned of Cuba’s determination to carry the difficulty earlier than the Common Meeting.
CUBA SAYS CIA CHIEF RATCLIFFE MET WITH OFFICIALS IN HAVANA AMID US TENSIONS
Protesters collect outdoors a Communist Get together headquarters in Morón, Cuba, as a hearth burns on the street throughout in a single day unrest. Video obtained by Fox Information Digital appeared to point out demonstrators making an attempt to set hearth to the constructing amid protests linked to widespread blackouts. (Reuters)
Earlier than the broader debate, U.S. Consultant for U.N. Administration and Reform Jeffrey Bartos objected to reopening the agenda merchandise and referred to as for a vote on whether or not the proceedings ought to go ahead.
Bartos mentioned the three-hour assembly would price roughly $84,000, cash he argued may as a substitute present meals, emergency medical provides and photo voltaic lanterns to Cuban households.
“Proper now, Cuba is in darkness — once more,” Bartos mentioned. “I urge the Cuban regime: flip the lights again on in your individuals.”
Members of the Cuban delegation additionally interrupted Bartos a number of instances by pounding on the desk. Bartos at one level paused and responded, “Preserve banging away. It’s very efficient,” earlier than persevering with his remarks.
Bartos accused Havana of searching for “one other propaganda clip” moderately than options and pointed to what he mentioned have been greater than 800 political prisoners held by the federal government.
Impartial organizations have produced various estimates. Human Rights Watch mentioned in April that greater than 700 individuals remained imprisoned for political reasons, whereas Prisoners Defenders reported greater than 1,200 political prisoners in Cuba within the spring of 2026. Cuba denies holding anybody for political causes.
“That’s the actual Cuban embargo,” Bartos mentioned. “It’s the embargo the regime imposes by itself individuals: on speech, on religion, on enterprise, on dissent, on political rights and hope — and now, fairly actually, on mild.”
Rodríguez accused the U.S. delegation of providing “worn-out lies” and making an attempt to stop the Common Meeting from debating the consequences of American coverage.
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Jeff Bartos, U.S. Consultant to the United Nations for Administration and Reform, addresses a gathering of the Safety Council at U.N. headquarters in New York Metropolis, Nov. 25, 2025. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
Cuba’s electricity crisis has been pushed by severe fuel shortages and an growing old, poorly maintained energy system that has struggled to fulfill demand. The Cuban authorities primarily blames U.S. restrictions, whereas Washington attributes the island’s broader financial disaster to communist financial insurance policies, corruption and repression.
Reuters contributed to this report.
