‘Atrocious’ crime: Cuban official decries possibility of US military action

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister slams US sanctions, labelling them ‘equivalent to genocide’.

A woman passes a sculpture of a raised fist painted in the colours of the Cuban flag by Cuban-born artist Julio Cesar, on September 25, 2026 in the Little Havana neighbourhood of Miami, Florida, the United States [AFP]

A senior official in Cuba has warned that any prospective United States military action taken against the island nation would constitute a serious international crime, and has rejected claims made by US President Donald Trump that Cuba is a failed state.

On Sunday, Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, the country’s deputy foreign minister, told the US cable television channel C-SPAN’s flagship programme, Washington Journal, that it would be an “atrocious international crime for the US to use military force against Cuba, which is a peaceful neighbouring country”.

His comments come after Trump said during his Tuesday speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that “freedom will be coming” to the island. His remarks prompted the Cuban delegation to exit the assembly hall. On Saturday, Trump brought up military action, telling reporters, “I don’t think we’ll need the military. Cuba is failing very badly.”

Fernandez de Cossio said that coercing nations who do not “submit” by disrupting their commercial shipments, attempting to handicap a population through starvation, depriving it of stable healthcare and withholding fuel, as the US has “done for nine months now”, is “equivalent to a genocide”.

The US has maintained a foreign policy of maximum economic pressure against Cuba for more than 60 years. The Trump administration has previously said that it wants a shake-up in Cuba’s government. Earlier this year, the administration enforced an additional oil and fuel blockade against the island, which has crippled the nation’s infrastructure, causing widespread fuel scarcity and rolling power outages. Government officials in Cuba cited systemic difficulties in securing food supplies and other basic necessities for the country of more than 10 million.

Fernandez de Cossio said Havana must ready its citizens for the prospect of US military aggression, adding that while Cuba recognises it might stand alone, it will still exercise its legitimate right to self-defence.

He explained that bilateral diplomatic channels with the US remain open but have yielded minimal results due to the economic stranglehold of ongoing sanctions, adding that Havana remains willing to engage with Washington in a “respectful manner” only if discussions accommodate mutual dignity, benefit both populations, and respect state sovereignty.

Several countries condemned the US’s continued economic sanctions and blockade of Cuba during the UNGA earlier this week.

古巴副外长抨击美国制裁，称其“等同于种族灭绝”。

2026年9月25日，在美国佛罗里达州迈阿密的小哈瓦那社区，一名女子走过古巴裔艺术家胡里奥·塞萨尔创作的雕塑，雕塑是一个高举的拳头，涂上了古巴国旗的颜色。[法新社]

古巴一位高级官员警告说，美国可能对古巴采取的任何军事行动都将构成严重的国际罪行，并驳斥了美国总统唐纳德·特朗普关于古巴是失败国家的说法。

周日，古巴副外长卡洛斯·费尔南德斯·德·科西奥在接受美国有线电视公共事务频道C-SPAN旗舰节目《华盛顿杂志》采访时表示，“美国对古巴这个爱好和平的邻国动用武力，将是骇人听闻的国际罪行”。

此前，特朗普周二在联合国大会上发表讲话，称古巴“即将迎来自由”。他的言论导致古巴代表团愤然离场。周六，特朗普再次提及军事行动，他对记者说：“我认为我们不需要动用军队。古巴的情况非常糟糕。”

费尔南德斯·德·科西奥表示，像美国“过去九个月来”所做的那样，通过扰乱商业运输、试图通过饥饿削弱民众、剥夺其稳定的医疗保健和扣留燃料来胁迫不“屈服”的国家，是“等同于种族灭绝”。

60多年来，美国一直对古巴实施最大限度的经济制裁。特朗普政府此前曾表示，希望对古巴政府进行改组。今年早些时候，美国政府对古巴实施了新的石油和燃料封锁，导致该国基础设施瘫痪，燃料短缺和轮流停电现象普遍存在。古巴政府官员指出，该国拥有超过1000万人口，在保障食品和其他基本生活必需品方面存在系统性困难。

费尔南德斯·德·科西奥表示，哈瓦那必须让其公民做好应对美国军事侵略的准备，并补充说，虽然古巴承认自己可能会孤立无援，但它仍将行使合法的自卫权。

他解释说，尽管与美国的双边外交渠道仍然畅通，但由于持续制裁造成的经济封锁，进展甚微。他还补充说，哈瓦那仍然愿意以“尊重的方式”与华盛顿接触，前提是讨论能够维护双方尊严，造福双方人民，并尊重国家主权。

本周早些时候，在联合国大会期间，多个国家谴责美国继续对古巴实施经济制裁和封锁。