Cuba condemns US fuel restrictions as blockade enters “new phase”

Cuba has accused the United States of pushing its decades-long embargo into a harsher stage through new fuel-related restrictions. According to Harici.com.tr, Cuban Consul General in Istanbul Raúl Ernesto Madrigal Cárdenas said the Jan. 29 decree had turned the blockade into a more aggressive instrument aimed at crippling the island’s economy and public services. Speaking in Kadıköy at an event organized by the José Martí Cuba Friendship Association and the Consulate General of Cuba, Cárdenas said Havana would continue to defend its sovereignty and its right to develop in peace.

“The blockade has entered a dangerous new stage”

Cárdenas said the latest US step was not an isolated decision but a continuation of the policy Cuba has faced since the early 1960s.

He argued that the original purpose of the embargo was to create shortages in the Cuban economy and force the collapse of the Cuban Revolution.

The consul general described the current measures as an intensified version of that policy, saying they target not only Cuba but also companies and states that trade with the island.

Cárdenas said sanctions imposed on third parties violate sovereign rights and run counter to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Fuel restrictions hit hospitals, schools and electricity

The Cuban diplomat said the latest restrictions have made fuel supply one of the central fronts of the embargo.

According to Cárdenas, attempts to prevent Cuba from accessing fuel have disrupted healthcare, education, electricity generation, transport and daily life.

He rejected claims that Cuba poses a security threat to the United States, calling such arguments baseless.

Cárdenas said the measures were designed to put direct pressure on the Cuban people, but added that Cuba would continue to build relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect.

Russia announces oil support

Cárdenas also addressed questions about Cuba’s efforts to overcome the energy bottleneck.

He said the Cuban foreign minister’s recent visit to Moscow had produced an important announcement from Russia.

During the talks, Russia officially declared that it would send oil to Cuba. Cárdenas said this was the first formal announcement of an oil shipment after the Jan. 29 decree and expressed hope that Russia’s move would encourage other countries to take concrete steps.

Mexico continues aviation fuel cooperation

Asked about Mexico’s role, Cárdenas underlined the historic depth of relations between Havana and Mexico City.

He noted that Mexico had previously been one of Cuba’s main oil suppliers, especially before the escalation of pressure on Venezuela.

While no direct petroleum shipment has recently reached Cuba from Mexico, he said aviation fuel for flights to Cuba continues to be supplied through Mexico.

Cárdenas said this support is vital for keeping international flights to the island running.

Cuba rejects “failed state” claims

The consul general also responded to reports suggesting that Cuba had gone bankrupt.

Cárdenas called such narratives disinformation, arguing that no failed state could continue operating under a blockade of this scale.

He said schools, hospitals and public institutions remain open despite severe pressure.

“If the Cuban state had really collapsed, there would be no need to tighten the blockade so aggressively,” he argued.

Healthcare and education under pressure

At the same meeting, José Martí Cuba Friendship Association President Nahide Özkan said the latest US decree had turned the blockade into a total siege.

She said commercial vessels have been unable to deliver oil to Cuba since Jan. 29, while domestic resources meet only around a quarter of the country’s needs.

Özkan said the impact is being felt sharply in healthcare, transport, electricity and natural gas use.

She warned that pregnant women, cancer patients and those dependent on life-support systems face serious risks because of power cuts.

Özkan also announced that the association had launched a petition campaign to build international pressure against US measures and would soon present a broader solidarity package, including financial support.

Call for international solidarity

Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Türkiye, said solidarity with Cuba carries special significance.

He described Cuba as a small island that has continued to resist US pressure while defending values such as equality, dignity and public welfare.

Okuyan said the pressure on Cuba is not limited to the economy, but also includes an information war.

He argued that repeating false claims about Cuba helps Washington’s campaign and weakens the voice of a country with limited media resources.

Response to “Cubanization” remarks

Okuyan also responded to BBP Chairman Mustafa Destici’s comment that Türkiye would not be allowed to undergo “Cubanization.”

He said those using the term should explain what they mean by it.

“If they mean the spread of the human values defended by Cuba, then that is exactly what we are working for,” Okuyan said.

“Anti-imperialist struggle must be linked to labor”

Okuyan also evaluated broader global tensions, arguing that US foreign policy is shaped by its effort to contain China’s rise.

He said it would be too early to conclude that NATO had lost importance, but added that new forms of US hegemony require new methods of resistance.

Okuyan argued that international anti-imperialist struggle cannot succeed unless it is directly connected to labor movements and the demands of working people.