Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stated that his country does not seek conflict with the United States but is prepared to fight if necessary. The remarks came during a speech marking the 65th anniversary of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, where the president recalled Fidel Castro's declaration and the failed Bay of Pigs invasion by US-aligned forces.

Diaz-Canel struck a defiant tone, saying: "The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it." He also highlighted threats from former US President Donald Trump to overthrow the Cuban government and the tightening of energy restrictions aimed at squeezing the island's economy.

A US energy blockade and the halt of oil shipments from Venezuela after the US allegedly abducted former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January have caused deteriorating conditions on the island. Fuel shortages and energy blackouts have plagued Cuba for weeks, adding strain to workers and businesses. Even before these increased restrictions, Cuba's economy had suffered from decades of US economic embargo, along with economic mismanagement and political repression that prompted many Cubans to leave the country.

At the United Nations in 2025, a resolution demanding an end to the US embargo passed with 165 votes in favor and seven against, including the US, Israel, Argentina, and Hungary. The resolution has been passed annually for over 30 years. Diaz-Canel asserted: "Cuba is not a failed state. Cuba is a besieged state. Cuba is a state facing multidimensional aggression: economic warfare, an intensified blockade and an energy blockade."

Source: www.aljazeera.com