Cuba Maintains Stability Despite US Energy Blockade, Says Foreign Minister

UNITED NATIONS, July 7. /TASS/. Cuba has managed to maintain domestic stability despite the continuing energy blockade by the US authorities, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla told a UN General Assembly session held on Tuesday on the need to end economic and financial blockade of the island nation.

"Stability reigns in Cuba, there is no full-scale humanitarian crisis. We have never stopped protecting our people and we will keep doing so," the minister said.

In his words, Cuba is inspired by the international support and other countries’ efforts to alleviate the situation.

"This gives hope to our sovereign nation," he added.

The situation in Cuba deteriorated sharply at the end of January after the US started to block fuel supplies to the island. Since February, Washington has already adopted several packages of sanctions against the Caribbean republic, pushing the island into a crisis.

Power outages in the republic are growing longer and more frequent. In most areas in all cities of the country, including Havana, people get power for only 1-2 hours a day, while in many areas blackouts last 2-3 days. Increasingly the people turn to the National Electric Power Company with demands to resolve the problem on social media. There are also serious problems with gas and water supply throughout Cuba, as pumps cannot operate without electricity. The situation is complicated by particularly hot weather which is typical of the summer season.