Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, denounced the adoption by the United States government of new, illegal, and abusive unilateral coercive measures against Cuba, in response to the May Day parade of more than half a million Cubans in Havana and the signing of a declaration by more than six million compatriots in defense of the Homeland.
Through his official account on the social network X, the Cuban foreign minister described the actions of the Washington government as “reprehensible, but curious and ridiculous,” and affirmed that the Homeland, the Revolution, and Socialism are defended with ideas and with weapons.
“They will not intimidate us,” declared Bruno Rodríguez, who emphasized that this morning’s May Day parade was led by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and President Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.
“Reprehensible, yet curious and ridiculous. The US government is alarmed and responds with new, illegal, and abusive unilateral coercive measures against Cuba to the May Day parade of more than half a million Cubans in Havana, led by Army General Raúl Castro and President @DiazCanelB, and to the signatures of 6 million Cubans (81% of the population over 16 years of age) in defense of the homeland under military threat, denouncing the intensified blockade and the energy embargo. The homeland, the Revolution, and Socialism are defended with ideas and with weapons. They will not intimidate us.”
In his statement, Cuba’s top diplomat referred to an executive order signed this Friday by President Donald Trump, which significantly expands the scope of sanctions against Cuba. These sanctions now target foreign nationals or U.S. citizens operating in sectors strategic to the Cuban economy, such as energy, defense, mining and financial services.
The White House justified the measure by arguing that the policies, practices, and actions of the Cuban government continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy.
Among the main provisions of the executive order is the total blocking of assets in U.S. territory belonging to any foreign person or entity operating in the aforementioned sectors or maintaining business dealings with the Cuban government.
It also establishes the suspension of entry into the United States for all individuals linked to these criteria.
One of the most severe aspects of the measure is its international reach: foreign banks that facilitate significant transactions for sanctioned entities or individuals could face the closure of their accounts on Wall Street, a ban on operating in dollars, and other financial sanctions.
The sanctions took effect immediately, under the argument that prior notification would allow for the transfer of assets.
The May Day parade at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Tribune in Havana drew more than half a million people today, and according to official sources, more than five million marched across the country to commemorate the holiday.
During the day, the popular movement “My Signature for the Homeland” was formally concluded, having collected more than 6.3 million signatures from Cubans—81 percent of the population over 16 years of age—in defense of national sovereignty.
Cuba has maintained a position of rejection of unilateral sanctions, considering them violations of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations, while the Cuban government has declared that its socialist model is not open to negotiations.
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
