Cuba condemns US oil blockade as Trump predicts deal

September 26, 2026 at 10:22 PM2 min

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Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the US oil blockade as an act of collective punishment at the UN General Assembly on Saturday. US President Donald Trump predicted the two countries would reach an agreement and said military action would not be necessary. The comments come amid fuel shortages and blackouts in Cuba.

Key Facts

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called the US oil blockade an act of collective punishment intended to trigger a humanitarian crisis.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Cuba and the US will make a deal and that military action would not be necessary.
Rodriguez said Havana remains open to negotiations based on sovereign equality and without preconditions.
The US has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years and imposed an oil blockade earlier this year.
Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan have called for an end to the embargo and the new oil blockade.

UN General Assembly Speech

Rodriguez condemned the US oil blockade during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday. He called the blockade an act of collective punishment intended to trigger a humanitarian crisis. Rodriguez said Havana has always been and will always be prepared for dialogue with the US government. He added that talks would have to be based on sovereign equality and take place without preconditions.

US Position

Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday that Cuba and the US will make a deal. He said he does not think military action will be needed and that the US wants to help Cuba. Earlier this week, Trump called Cuba an absolutely failed state during his UN address and said freedom will be coming to the island. Cuba's delegation walked out during that speech.

Oil Blockade Impact

The US has maintained an economic embargo on Cuba for more than 60 years. Since earlier this year, the US has additionally imposed an oil blockade that has put the country under severe pressure. Cuba is dealing with fuel shortages and ongoing blackouts, and officials have blamed the blockade for problems providing food and other basic needs. Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan have called for an end to the embargo and new oil blockade and opposed unilateral economic restrictions on Cuba. Since 1992, the UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly backed an annual resolution calling for an end to the US economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba.