Cuba Blames US Sanctions for Stalling Market Reforms
Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister claims US sanctions obstruct economic reforms, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio argues the current governance model deters investment.
Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío stated during the UN General Assembly in New York that United States sanctions are obstructing Cuba's market reforms. He argued that easing U.S. pressure would ensure that recent economic openings become "truly irreversible."
These diplomatic appeals follow a June 2026 parliamentary decision to approve 176 measures designed to expand private business, including the removal of employee caps for private firms. Despite these legislative steps, Cuba faces a severe economic crisis marked by nationwide power grid failures and the loss of Venezuelan oil shipments following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in January.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the Cuban government's claims, asserting that the reforms exist only on paper. Rubio stated that no one is going to invest in Cuba under its current governance model. While the U.S. government has tightened state-level sanctions and maintained its trade embargo, exports to Cuba's private sector increased by 61.8% between January and July 2026.
