UN official warns prolonged US fuel blockade deepening humanitarian crisis in Cuba

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - A prolonged US fuel blockade on Cuba is driving a worsening humanitarian crisis, the UN resident coordinator in Havana warned Thursday, noting that energy shortages are escalating risks for millions of vulnerable people.

In a virtual news conference on the humanitarian situation, Francisco Pichon said, "It's almost one month after the US executive order that has created a fuel blockade for Cuba. The blockade still persists, and these humanitarian consequences are really deepening by the day."

He stressed that the situation on the ground reflects a broader structural problem rather than a temporary disruption.

"What we see on the ground is not a temporary shortage; it is a more systemic energy shock that has become the primary humanitarian risk multiplier. As you know, fuel is not just a commodity in Cuba today," he said.

Pichon warned that prolonged outages are undermining essential services on the island.

"So, any kind of prolonged outage directly, it compromises water access, and it affects households. It affects health centers, schools, processing facilities, shelters," he said, adding that food security is also deteriorating as "the entire supply chain from farms to table is disrupted."

He noted that Cuba is still recovering from a series of hurricanes, including Hurricane Melissa last October, which affected more than 2 million people and destroyed infrastructure, further narrowing the recovery window.

Highlighting the human toll, Pichon said, "So let me be clear, the risk to people's lives are not rhetorical, and those who suffer first and suffer most are the ordinary people, especially the most vulnerable."

He said 5 million people living with chronic illnesses face treatment disruptions, including thousands of cancer patients requiring continuous oncology care, while more than 32,000 pregnant women are exposed to additional risks.

Pichon warned that without relief measures, the crisis could deepen.

"Our capacities will be very constrained unless there is a humanitarian carve-out for oil and aid, and of course, that will depend on diplomatic effort that can be pursued with the United States. You know, we have escalated that request," he said.

Cuba is facing its deepest economic crisis in decades as the US has intensified pressure on the island in recent weeks by moving to block oil shipments, including supplies from ally Venezuela.

The measure has driven up food and transportation costs, caused severe fuel shortages and led to prolonged nationwide blackouts.