New Delhi: Cuba’s Ambassador to India, Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera, on Sunday (March 29) sharply criticised the United States (US) and Israel over the ongoing conflict against Iran, warning of expanding global instability and humanitarian consequences.Speaking at an event at HKS Bhawan in the capital, Marsan said, “Every day we wake up to news of the US and Israeli war against Iran and its humanitarian, economic and financial consequences,” adding that the situation was generating “tragedies and human suffering” while disrupting global markets and raising prices of essential goods.He accused Washington and its allies of violating international law, stating that “sovereignty, independence, self-determination and respect for the territorial integrity of nations are being violated with impunity.” He warned that the United Nations system was being “deliberately weakened” to perpetuate impunity for the US.Highlighting international support, he said Cuba continued to receive solidarity from across the world. “Last week, more than 600 people, mainly from Latin America and Europe, visited Cuba,” he said, noting that they brought “solar panels, medicines and medical equipment”. “Cuba is not alone,” he added, extending the sentiment to Venezuela, Palestine and Iran.“Yesterday it was Palestine, later Venezuela, now it is Iran. Tomorrow it will be another country,” he said, arguing that such actions were driven by attempts to control strategic resources and assert global dominance.Also read: Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker to Reach Cuba Under US Oil BlockadeTurning to Cuba, the ambassador highlighted the impact of US sanctions, saying the island had faced severe shortages. “Cuba has not received a single drop of oil,” he said, noting disruptions to electricity, healthcare and other essential services. “More than 1,00,000 medical surgeries have been postponed. Cancer patients are not receiving treatment.”The US trade embargo on Cuba began in 1962, while measures enacted on January 29, 2025, under the Trump administration have blockaded oil shipments to the island, sparking a severe energy crisis.Screenshot of Cuban Ambassador to India Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera delivering a speech in Delhi. Source: NewsClick.inThe ambassador said Cuba had managed to sustain partial electricity generation despite the blockade. “We have managed to produce domestic oil that allows us to supply thermal plants and generate more than 20 percent of our electricity demand,” he said, adding that the installation of over 1,000 megawatts of solar panels last year meant “another 50% of electricity generation can be supplied through renewable resources”.Also read: Interview | It is Now or Never For the Cuban RevolutionRejecting claims about his country, Marasan said there was “an attempt to impose the narrative that Cuba is collapsing, that Cuba is a failed state”. However, he added, “thanks to our social system and the high resilience of our people, Cuba resists and fights”.He added that Cuba remained open to dialogue with the US, but only “on the basis of mutual respect and sovereignty”. “We can cooperate, but it should be on the basis of respect for our independence and sovereignty,” he said, listing areas such as “combating drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering and many other issues”, while stressing that “only the Cuban people have the right to decide” their political system.Describing the blockade as “a crime” and “a genocide”, Marsan called for international opposition to unilateral sanctions and military threats. “Neutrality is not possible. No one is safe today in the world,” he said.He concluded by asserting that Cuba would endure these pressures, saying, “Cuba cannot be taken. Cuba is a sovereign country, very proud of its history, its independence and its heroes… Let Cuba live in Peace. Hands off Cuba. Drop the blockade. Cuba will prevail.”