Original article: Embajador de Cuba en Chile lanza dura crítica contra Trump: “Quieren llevar al pueblo a la desesperación”

Cuban Ambassador in Chile Speaks Out Against Trump’s Policies: «They’re Driving the People to Desperation»

More than 40 days have passed since U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 29, blocking all oil imports to Cuba, a measure that has triggered a severe crisis in essential services across the island. This decision, justified by the Trump administration on the grounds that Havana poses a threat to national security, has not only disrupted the daily lives of Cubans—leading to blackouts lasting up to 20 hours a day—but also jeopardized crucial sectors such as health, food supply, and the physical integrity of the population.

In this environment of escalating tension, Cuba’s Ambassador to Chile, Óscar Cornelio Oliva, condemned that «what the United States is doing is a crime against humanity.»

According to the diplomat, Washington’s narrative is unfounded and masks darker intentions: to push the Cuban people into a state of desperation and destabilize President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government.

«It has nothing to do with ideological concerns, and it’s not true that they want to help the Cuban people,» he argued, refuting Trump’s justifications.

«It’s a great fallacy when you hear some U.S. officials claiming they want to assist the people. Quite the opposite, they are driving the population into a desperate situation to rise against the government. It’s something unprecedented in human history,» he stated in an interview with Radio Nuevo Mundo.

“They are directly affecting essential services, including hospitals, public transport, which impacts the entire population, and many other services that ensure food supply and provide medications and medical treatments, all without justification,» he noted.

Humanitarian Impact and Response from the Cuban Government

The energy crisis has forced Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government to launch a comprehensive emergency plan. Contrary to the image of paralysis that, according to the ambassador, anti-Cuban propaganda tries to convey, the strategy focuses on mitigating the most devastating effects of the supply cut.

Oliva explained that the priority has been to ensure the continuity of essential services through the implementation of alternative energy sources.

«Solar panels are being installed in hospitals, outpatient clinics, family doctor offices, food supply locations, and essential service points such as banks and pharmacies,» he detailed, emphasizing that the goal is to protect the population amidst adversity.

«The Country Is Not at a Standstill»

In this regard, the diplomat was adamant in rejecting claims suggesting a total collapse of the island.

«The country is neither paralyzed nor collapsed, as certain anti-Cuban propaganda tries to sell, but is continuing to advance despite the shortages we face and resolving the most critical situations,» he asserted.

This resilience, in his words, is part of a broader process: the energy transition outlined in the Social Economic Development Plan 2030, which aims for the island’s energy independence in the medium to long term.

«The moment we are in the energy transition has been developed as a strategy over several years, aimed at achieving true energy independence for the country. It will take a long time, but for now, we are addressing the most critical situations. Additionally, the country is investing significantly in this transition; last year around forty-two to forty-three solar parks were installed, producing roughly 1,000 megawatts during the day,» he highlighted.

He also mentioned actions taken by the United Nations regarding the conflict, although he noted that some are still in early stages, such as safeguarding oil deliveries for humanitarian reasons.

«In recent months, plans for aid programs in the country, part of UNDP’s United Nations Nation for Development Program, have been approved, and other UN agencies are analyzing how to assist the country. In particular, the issue of fuel could face sanctions from the U.S. against countries that provide that fuel,» he explained.

The Role of the Private Sector in the National Development Strategy

One noteworthy aspect of Cuba’s response to the crisis has been the increasing participation of the private sector. Despite the critical moment, the ambassador emphasized that private enterprises play a vital role within the national development strategy.

«State-owned collective means of production still dominate, but there is a 30% participation of the workforce in the private sector,» Oliva clarified.

This integration has been accelerated by the very necessities arising from the sanctions. In critical areas such as energy, food importation, and other essential elements, the government has provided incentives, such as the elimination of tariffs, to encourage private activity. «This has led to a proliferation of self-employed workers and small and medium-sized enterprises in the country,» he explained.

On this note, the ambassador referred to the recent U.S. decision to allow private sales of oil, but not to the Cuban state. While he described the measure as «something positive in that it allows some fuel to enter,» Oliva warned that it should not be misinterpreted as a humanitarian gesture from the White House.

He reminded that these private players «are established within the national development strategy.»

Position on Dialogue and Preparedness for Defense

When asked about the possibility of bilateral dialogue with Washington, the ambassador noted that the willingness exists, but it must be based on mutual respect.

«We are open to discuss on the basis of equality and respect for the sovereignty and independence of the country,» he emphasized in statements to Radio Nuevo Mundo.

However, the willingness for dialogue does not exclude preparations for a more hostile scenario. Oliva warned that the Cuban people «are preparing to face aggression from the U.S.,” in a regional geopolitical context he considers alarming.

«We are not sitting with our arms crossed; I believe the country is preparing. The country has a defense strategy known as the ‘People’s War,’ where every Cuban has a task to fulfill, and that’s important for those considering adventurous actions against the country,» he cautioned.

The ambassador linked Trump’s policy toward Cuba to a broader offensive in Latin America. «I believe Cuba has a role to play in halting this military offensive by the United States against the region through the Monroe Doctrine and its most updated corollaries,» he stated.

In conclusion, the diplomat evoked the figure of Cuban national hero José Martí to contextualize the current struggle within a historical tradition of resistance. Reciting Martí’s words, Oliva cited: «I am in danger every day of giving my life for my country and duty, to prevent the independence of Cuba from extending across the Antilles and falling with that force more upon our lands in America.»