The White House has expressed concern about the continued blackouts in Cuba and, although the Cuban government has not yet requested assistance, Joe Biden’s administration does not rule out the possibility of sending aid if an official request is made.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out in a press conference that the United States is “closely monitoring” the situation and analyzing the possible humanitarian impacts that could arise from the power outages affecting the Cuban population.
The White House conditions humanitarian aid to Cuba on an official request
Likewise, he stated that “the economic problems facing Cuba are the result of long-term mismanagement by the Cuban government, and the United States is not responsible for the blackouts or the general energy situation on the island.”
However, he left open the possibility that the Biden administration could evaluate “relevant next steps” if Cuba requests assistance.
Cuba accuses the US of being mainly responsible for the crisis
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez, has on several occasions pointed out the United States government as the main person responsible for the energy crisis affecting the country.
In a series of posts on his X account (formerly known as Twitter), Rodríguez accused Washington of imposing an economic blockade that has had a devastating impact on the Cuban electricity system.
According to the figures he offered, the damage caused by the embargo in just 18 days is equivalent to the annual maintenance cost of the National Electroenergy System, a figure that is around 250 million dollars.
On the other hand, the Cuban Foreign Minister thanked the efforts and immediate support offered by countries such as Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Russia and Barbados to face the energy crisis, and stressed that Cuba is in talks to finalize the receipt of this aid.
Despite the difficult situation, he assured that the Cuban electrical system is recovering, thanks to “popular support,” and criticized the recent statements of US officials, calling them “triumphalist” and “shameless.”
In addition, he denied the information circulating in some American media about an alleged authorization by the US government for humanitarian exports to Cuba worth 100 billion dollars.
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