Cuban Ambassador Says U.S. Policy Causes Problems and Cuba Is Ready to Fight
Cuban Ambassador Says U.S. Policy Causes Problems and Cuba Is Ready to Fight
Introduction
A Cuban diplomat said the United States makes life very hard in Cuba. She also said Cuba is ready to fight if the U.S. attacks.
Main Body
The diplomat is Ambassador Johana Tablada de la Torre. She works in Mexico. She talked to reporters in Mexico City. She said Cuba has big problems now. There is not enough food, medicine, or fuel. There are also long times without electricity. She said the United States is the only reason for these problems. She talked about the Trump administration. The U.S. said Cuba is a danger. The U.S. made new rules against Cuba. The U.S. stopped oil from coming to Cuba. The ambassador said these things are the cause. The U.S. says it wants Cuba to change its economy and help people. The ambassador said this is not true. She gave an example. In a Cuban hospital, doctors had to keep a baby alive by hand. There was no electricity. She said this is very bad. Cuba had good hospitals before. A reporter said many Cubans are angry at their own government. They want change. The ambassador said the Cuban government talks about its own problems. But she said the U.S. is like a big person who stops a family from getting air, water, and electricity. She said it is not right to blame the family. The U.S. sent people to Havana for talks. The ambassador said good talks can bring good results. But she said some things cannot change. The president of Cuba and the economic system are for Cubans to decide. The U.S. wants big changes. The ambassador said Cuba is ready if the U.S. attacks. She said an attack would be a bad and wrong decision against a small country. Cuba did not hurt Americans.
Conclusion
The ambassador hopes there will be no fight. But the two countries do not agree. Cuba says the U.S. causes all its problems. Cuba will not change its government or economy. And Cuba says it is ready to fight.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
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.
Vocabulary Learning
Sentence Learning
Cuban Ambassador Attributes National Crisis to U.S. Policy and Affirms Readiness for Military Confrontation
Introduction
Amid ongoing high-level diplomatic talks in Havana and concurrent threats of military action from the United States, a senior Cuban diplomat has publicly attributed the severe deterioration of conditions in Cuba to U.S. policy and stated that the country is prepared for a potential military conflict should negotiations fail.
Main Body
The statement was made by Ambassador Johana Tablada de la Torre, Cuba’s envoy to Mexico, during an interview at the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City. The ambassador, who has decades of experience in negotiations with the United States, described the current situation in Cuba as one of acute scarcity, characterized by extended blackouts and shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. She asserted that the United States bears sole responsibility for this crisis. Specifically, she cited the Trump administration’s designation of Cuba as a national security threat, the tightening of sanctions, and the implementation of a de facto oil blockade since the beginning of the year as the primary causes. Ambassador Tablada de la Torre rejected U.S. stated objectives regarding economic opening and human rights concerns, characterizing them as false and disingenuous. She argued that the U.S. is directly responsible for conditions in Cuban hospitals, providing the example of neonatologists having to manually sustain a baby’s life due to a lack of electricity, a situation she claimed contradicts Cuba’s previously established high-quality healthcare system. When confronted with the observation that many Cubans express anger toward their own government and desire change, and that official Cuban discourse often lacks self-reflection, the ambassador offered a counterargument. She stated that internal discussions within Cuba, including those in the Council of Ministers, do address domestic insufficiencies. However, she framed the current moment as one of “maximum pressure” from an external actor, comparing the U.S. to a “big guy” cutting off a family’s oxygen, water, and electricity. In such a context, she argued, it is inappropriate to blame the victim. Regarding the ongoing diplomatic engagement, the ambassador acknowledged that a U.S. State Department team recently traveled to Havana for high-level talks. She noted that when negotiations are conducted in good faith, positive outcomes are possible. However, she delineated clear red lines for the Cuban government, stating that the identity of Cuba’s president and the nature of its economic system are non-negotiable matters that belong exclusively to the Cuban people. The Trump administration has previously demanded fundamental changes to Cuba’s political and economic structure. When asked about the plausibility of a diplomatic resolution given these incompatible positions, and in light of recent U.S. military interventions in other nations, the ambassador acknowledged the possibility of a U.S. military attack. She affirmed that Cuba is prepared for such an eventuality, describing any such attack as an irresponsible, inhuman, and unjustified decision against a small nation that has not harmed Americans or Cuban Americans.
Conclusion
Ambassador Tablada de la Torre expressed a hope that military confrontation would not occur, but the interview underscores a deep impasse between the two nations, with the Cuban government attributing its current crisis entirely to U.S. policy and refusing to negotiate on fundamental aspects of its political and economic system, while simultaneously stating its readiness for armed conflict.