Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez says US talks stalled and urges UN debate on sanctions

On June 30 2026 Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez told reporters that negotiations with the United States have reached a standstill, describing the talks as showing “no progress.” He said U.S. sanctions and an “energy blockade” are causing deaths and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and electricity for Cuba’s roughly nine million residents.

Rodríguez announced that Havana has requested an extraordinary United Nations General Assembly session for July 7 to denounce the U.S. embargo, calling it a “multidimensional aggression” and a crime against humanity. He accused the U.S. State Department of pressuring and intimidating other UN members to prevent the debate.

While affirming Cuba’s openness to dialogue based on mutual respect and non‑interference, Rodríguez rejected claims that Cuba poses a threat to U.S. security and labeled Washington’s conduct a regional and international security threat. He also stressed that the 176 economic reforms approved by the Cuban government are a matter of sovereign policy and not a response to U.S. pressure.