Cuba slams US for 'lying' over fuel blockade

HAVANA - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez on Saturday denounced the United States for "blatantly lying" over a fuel blockade against the island.

In a post on social media platform X, Rodriguez said US claims contradict its own executive orders and regulations, citing a Jan 29 executive order and subsequent US measures as evidence of a "brutal blockade" on fuel supplies to Cuba.

He said the measures include threats of sanctions against third countries and foreign companies supplying oil to Cuba, as well as hostile actions targeting oil tankers.

Rodriguez added that Washington's policy aims to weaken Cuba's economy, hinder its development, cut off its sources of income, and restrict its access to markets and technology.

Cuba has been facing a severe economic and energy crisis due to decades of US sanctions. The United Nations says fuel shortage is pushing the country into a humanitarian crisis.