NEW YORK — Cuba denounced the United States embargo against the island during a United Nations General Assembly debate on July 7, 2026. Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez stated that the damage from the embargo between March 2025 and February 2026 amounted to $8 billion.

Rodriguez reported that the $8 billion figure represented a seven percent increase over the same period the previous year. He also stated that this figure did not include the impact of a fuel blockade imposed by the U.S. in February. "The government of the United States is carrying out against Cuba a multi-dimensional, non-conventional warfare that has already lasted for almost seven decades now and has become ever more cruel and more ruthless during the last seven months," Rodriguez told the assembly. He added, "Paying attention to this ruthless crime is also a responsibility of the UN." Rodriguez stated, "There has not been any progress" in recent diplomatic talks between Havana and Washington.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz disputed the claims made by Cuba. "There is no American blockade," Waltz said. He asserted that "The only embargo in Cuba is the guillotine the regime keeps over the heads of its people."

The debate was preceded by a vote on Tuesday, where 136 member states voted in favor of holding the discussion. Nine member states voted against, and 30 member states abstained, including Germany and Canada. The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian emergency in Cuba, which has experienced power cuts across the country.

Countries in Africa and the Caribbean expressed support for Cuba and condemned the U.S. blockade during the UN debate. In October 2025, 165 member states voted in favor of a resolution calling for the lifting of the U.S. blockade on Cuba, while seven voted against and a dozen abstained. In October 2024, 187 member states voted in favor of the resolution. The General Assembly has adopted a non-binding resolution calling for the lifting of the U.S. blockade on Cuba every year since 1992.

Why It Matters

Cuba's denunciation of the U.S. embargo at the United Nations General Assembly reflects ongoing tensions between the two nations, impacting Cuba's economy and its citizens. The reported $8 billion in economic damages cited by Cuba indicates a large financial cost attributed to the embargo, which, according to Cuba, increased by seven percent over the previous year. The U.S. imposed a blockade on oil supplies to Cuba in January 2026, contributing to fuel shortages, and only one oil tanker from Russia has arrived in Cuba since then.

The annual United Nations General Assembly vote on lifting the embargo demonstrates consistent international support for Cuba's position, with a majority of member states voting in favor of such resolutions in past years. However, the U.S. continues to maintain that no blockade exists.