On Sunday, Miguel Díaz-Canel used the central event commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the assaults on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes barracks in Pinar del Río as a platform to directly accuse the United States government of exacerbating Cuba's economic and social crisis. He highlighted the deterioration of the healthcare system, frequent power outages, and rising infant mortality as key issues.
In his address, the Cuban leader claimed that Washington has "deliberately crafted and enforced a policy of extreme economic suffocation against the Cuban people," describing the embargo as "a weapon of war" that he alleged "causes deaths."
The Healthcare Crisis in Focus
To support his claims, Díaz-Canel presented several indicators illustrating the decline in healthcare services on the island. He reported deaths due to a lack of medications that were previously produced or distributed freely or at subsidized rates. He also mentioned that over 100,000 surgeries are postponed because hospitals experience unexpected blackouts and lack the fuel necessary to operate backup power systems.
He further pointed out that more than 118,000 cancer patients, including 2,200 children, are unable to access first-line treatments and must settle for secondary or tertiary options.
Rising Infant Mortality Rates
One of the most poignant parts of his speech focused on infant mortality. Díaz-Canel noted that the rate had climbed to 9.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, up from a range of four to five in previous years.
"These figures represent the faces of children who did not experience life due to the blockade and its realities," he stated.
Official statistics reveal a consistent decline in this metric. According to the regime's own data, infant mortality reached 9.9 per 1,000 live births by the end of 2025, compared to 4.0 in 2018, with Havana experiencing rates of 14 per 1,000 in the early months of 2026. Additionally, a chronic shortage of medications persists: as of April this year, 461 of the 651 essential drugs on the national basic list were unavailable in state pharmacies, representing a shortage exceeding 70%.
Condemnation of U.S. Sanctions
Díaz-Canel also dismissed the notion that U.S. sanctions could be considered a legitimate foreign policy tool.
"It is illegal and criminal to torment a population just to incite rebellion against its government. It cannot even be called a foreign policy tool," he declared.
His remarks come amid escalating U.S. pressure on Havana. Since Donald Trump's return to the White House, the United States has intensified sanctions against the Cuban regime. On May 1, it froze assets linked to the Cuban state apparatus; on June 4, it personally sanctioned Díaz-Canel; and on July 23, expanded measures against nine entities and two high-ranking officials associated with the energy sector, the military conglomerate GAESA, and the medical missions program.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended this strategy, asserting that "Cuba's economy cannot change unless its government does," labeling the Cuban authorities as "economically incompetent."
Emphasis on Sovereignty
In response to this strategy, Díaz-Canel reaffirmed the regime's sovereignty in determining the nation's course.
"The economic, political, and social decisions are and will be ours," he declared to those present at the event.
In his speech, the leader attributed the worsening crisis solely to U.S. sanctions, without mentioning other factors highlighted by economists and analysts, such as Cuba's structural economic difficulties, the centralized planning model, or pending reforms.
In June 2026, the regime announced a package of 176 economic and social measures to address the crisis, although independent experts have questioned their effectiveness, arguing that they do not change the state's control model over the economy.
Díaz-Canel also recalled that in October 2025, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution condemning the U.S. embargo with the backing of 165 countries, a point he used to bolster his denunciation of Washington's policy.
Understanding U.S. Economic Pressure on Cuba
How does Díaz-Canel describe the U.S. embargo on Cuba?
Díaz-Canel describes the U.S. embargo as a "weapon of war" designed to cause economic suffocation and deaths among the Cuban population.
What impact has the embargo had on Cuba's healthcare system?
The embargo has been linked to a shortage of medications, delayed surgeries due to power outages, and limited access to first-line cancer treatments, adversely affecting the healthcare system.
What are the current infant mortality rates in Cuba?
As of 2025, the infant mortality rate in Cuba rose to 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 4.0 in 2018, with Havana experiencing rates of 14 per 1,000 in early 2026.