In brief
Cuban officials condemned the U.S. for expanding sanctions and a perceived energy blockade at the Ibero‑American Summit in Madrid. They called these measures a form of collective punishment and urged the community to counter arbitrary sanctions. The foreign minister reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to Ibero‑American cooperation amid growing economic pressure.
On November 5, 2026, Havana reported that Cuban officials gave a scathing critique of the United States at the 30th Ibero‑American Summit in Madrid, Spain, accusing Washington of intensifying sanctions against the island.
President Miguel Diaz‑Canel posted on social media that Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez had addressed the summit held from Nov. 4 to 5, strongly denouncing the expanded U.S. sanctions and describing them as an energy blockade that amounts to a naval blockade. The foreign minister also highlighted the secondary sanctions that target individuals and companies who wish to do business with Cuba.
Rodriguez reminded observers that over the past ten months the Cuban people have endured an unprecedented tightening of the U.S. trade embargo, an “energy blockade” that he called “tantamount to a naval blockade,” and the imposition of secondary sanctions on individuals and organizations seeking to trade with the island. He warned that the United States was escalating its “obsessive war of economic strangulation” to “inhumane levels of collective punishment.”
"The United States has pushed its obsessive war of economic strangulation against Cuba to inhumane levels of collective punishment," the foreign minister said.
Rodriguez called the U.S. measures a form of collective punishment that harmed ordinary Cubans and called on the Ibero‑American community to take action in line with the founding principles of equality, sovereignty and mutual respect.
He underscored Cuba’s commitment to Ibero‑American cooperation, emphasizing the importance of advancing joint projects, sharing knowledge and pursuing common solutions to promote sustainable development. The Cuban government said it would continue to focus on the national priorities of its people while standing firm against what it called “arbitrary sanctions” and abuses of power.
During the summit, Rodriguez reiterated Cuba’s support for Honduras’ tenure as the block’s pro‑treatment secretariat, stressing that the governing bodies in the Ibero‑American community should help counter the impact of the U.S. sanctions. He called upon the community to move forward on the basis of its founding principles, urging a unified response to prevent what it deemed an escalation of economic violence against Cuba.
Diaz‑Canel, in his social media post, noted that the Cuban foreign minister’s address at the summit included a strong critique of the U.S. sanctions that not only restrict trade but also target individuals and companies that attempt to conduct business with the island.
He also pointed out that the Cuban state sees the U.S. approach as a direct assault on Cuban sovereignty and a threat to the economic and social well‑being of the Cuban population. Diaz‑Canel’s post framed the Cuban government’s stance as defensive, aimed at protecting national interests and the rights of its citizens.
The speech also reinforced that Cuba has long called for the Ibero‑American Community to defend the principles of sovereign equality and mutual respect, asserting that the community should not tolerate a mission so large in scope and power. Rodriguez called upon the Ibero‑American bloc to “counter arbitrary sanctions” and to support Cuba’s right to pursue sustainable development projects.
In his speech, Rodriguez emphasized that the embargo has destabilized Cuba’s economy, especially through an energy blockade that threatens the availability of fuel for industrial and transport needs. He further argued that the penalties issued by the United States, including secondary sanctions, are designed to disrupt Cuban commerce and threaten the livelihood of Cuban entrepreneurs, whereas the Cuban government seeks a cooperative approach with Ibero‑American partners to mitigate these effects.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry’s statement mirrored the same language used by Díaz‑Canel, stressing that the country will do all it can to strengthen ties with Ibero‑American countries. It also highlighted Cuba’s repeated pledge to work with partner nations on joint projects and “bring to light the universal need for sustainable development.”
The remarks, made at the summit’s high‑profile diplomatic gathering in Madrid, came after Cuba has intensified its appeal to the international community to call for a “reset” in U.S. sanctions policy. The Cuban government insists that sanctions are no longer limited to the economy but are also targeting the nation’s political, social and cultural fabric.
While the Cuban statements paint the U.S. sanctions as illegitimate, the U.S. government has historically maintained that the sanctions are aimed at promoting democratic reforms and human rights in Cuba. However, no statement from the United States appears in the Cuban official report.
As the Ibero‑American summit winds down, the Cuban message remains a rallying cry for solidarity. By reaffirming Cuba’s commitment to Ibero‑American cooperation and social justice, the Cuban government signals its readiness to pursue defensive diplomacy in the face of ongoing U.S. restrictions. The Cuban foreign ministry’s approach to the sanctions issue reflects its broader strategy of engaging with regional partners to curb the impact of the U.S. embargo while signalling a resolve to preserve national sovereignty and secure the economic welfare of its citizens.
