The United Nations expressed deep concern on Friday about the intensifying crisis in Cuba, worsened by the United States’ energy blockade. “We are extremely concerned about the worsening socioeconomic crisis in Cuba, in the context of decades of commercial and financial embargo, extreme climate events, and recent measures by the United States that restrict oil deliveries,” said Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaking to the press.
“This is having an increasingly serious impact on the human rights of people in Cuba,” she added. For the spokesperson, “political objectives cannot justify actions that in themselves violate human rights.” She therefore noted that the Office “reiterates its call on all States to lift unilateral sectoral measures, because of their indiscriminate repercussions on the population.”
Cuba has been mired for six years in a severe economic crisis, with high inflation, prolonged blackouts, and shortages of food and medicines. This situation is the result of the tightening of U.S. sanctions, the low productivity of its centralized economy, and the collapse of tourism.
The situation has worsened further due to the abrupt suspension of crude oil supplies from Venezuela, its main fuel supplier for the past 25 years, following the fall of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military intervention on January 3. Two Mexican Navy ships docked Thursday at the Port of Havana with more than 800 tons of humanitarian aid, sent by the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum.
According to the Mexican government, the ships carried 814 tons of liquid and powdered milk, meat products, cookies, beans, rice, and personal hygiene items. In Mexico, “more than 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans remain pending to be sent” to the island, authorities in that country reported.
Meanwhile, Russia could supply oil to Cuba as part of its “humanitarian” assistance, the Russian newspaper Izvestia reported Thursday. Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development told the newspaper that “as far as we know, Russia is expected soon to supply oil and petroleum products to Cuba as humanitarian aid.”
Two Russian airlines, Rossiya and Nordwind, announced Wednesday that they were suspending flights to Cuba due to difficulties refueling.
