Cuban Ambassador Blames U.S. for Crisis and Says Cuba Is Ready for War
Introduction
During high-level diplomatic talks in Havana and with the threat of U.S. military action in the background, a senior Cuban diplomat has publicly blamed U.S. policy for the severe crisis in Cuba. She also stated that the country is ready for a possible military conflict if the negotiations fail.
Main Body
Ambassador Johana Tablada de la Torre, Cuba’s envoy to Mexico, made these comments during an interview at the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City. She has decades of experience in negotiations with the United States. The ambassador described the current situation in Cuba as one of extreme shortages, including long blackouts and a lack of food, medicine, and fuel. She claimed that the United States is entirely responsible for this crisis. Specifically, she pointed to the Trump administration’s decision to label Cuba a national security threat, the tightening of sanctions, and a de facto oil blockade that began earlier this year. Ambassador Tablada de la Torre rejected the U.S. government’s stated goals of economic opening and human rights improvements, calling them false and dishonest. She argued that the U.S. is directly responsible for conditions in Cuban hospitals, giving the example of doctors having to keep a newborn baby alive by hand because there was no electricity. She said this situation contradicts Cuba’s previously strong healthcare system. When asked about the fact that many Cubans are angry with their own government and want change, and that official Cuban statements often lack self-criticism, the ambassador offered a different view. She said that internal discussions in Cuba, including those in the Council of Ministers, do address domestic problems. However, she described the current situation as one of “maximum pressure” from an outside force. She compared the U.S. to a “big guy” cutting off a family’s oxygen, water, and electricity. In such a situation, she argued, it is wrong to blame the victim. Regarding the ongoing diplomatic talks, the ambassador confirmed that a U.S. State Department team recently visited Havana for high-level discussions. She noted that when negotiations are conducted honestly, positive results are possible. However, she made clear that the Cuban government has firm limits: the identity of Cuba’s president and the nature of its economic system are not open for discussion and are matters for the Cuban people alone. The Trump administration had previously demanded major changes to Cuba’s political and economic system. When asked whether a diplomatic solution is possible given these opposing positions, and considering recent U.S. military actions in other countries, the ambassador admitted that a U.S. military attack is possible. She confirmed that Cuba is ready for such an event, calling any attack an irresponsible, inhuman, and unjustified act against a small country that has not harmed Americans or Cuban Americans.
Conclusion
Ambassador Tablada de la Torre expressed hope that military conflict would not happen. However, the interview highlights a deep disagreement between the two countries. The Cuban government blames the current crisis entirely on U.S. policy and refuses to negotiate on key parts of its political and economic system, while also stating that it is ready for armed conflict.