The Cuban regime's Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parilla, traveled to New York this past Saturday, where he held meetings with Cubans living in the United States and American doctors who graduated from Cuban institutions. On that same day, Rodríguez Parilla convened with "around a hundred Cubans residing throughout the U.S." at the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations. The purpose was to "engage with Cuban authorities, discuss, and collaborate for the sovereignty and welfare of the homeland," according to a statement from the Cuban Foreign Ministry.
Rodríguez Parilla emphasized during the gathering, "Cuba will always act to defend the rights of Cubans living abroad and will act decisively to safeguard their welfare, dignity, and integrity." Photographs from the event only captured Rodríguez Parilla speaking, with no images of the participating Cubans. The regime frequently uses such meetings with its supporters to project an image of dialogue with the diaspora, even though it largely ignores the demands for freedom from a significant portion of the Cuban exile community.
Additionally, on Sunday, the minister met with American graduates of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM). "We are proud to exchange with U.S. graduates of ELAM, a result of the ongoing solidarity between the peoples of Cuba and the United States. We learned about their experiences in this country and encouraged them to continue assisting the American people with a deep humanitarian vocation," Rodríguez Parilla shared on social media platform X, alongside photos of the meeting.
Rodríguez Parilla's trip aligns with his participation this week in the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly. Earlier this week, he made headlines by claiming to the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Cuba that, without the U.S. embargo, Cuba's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices would have grown by 9.2% last year. "Two months of the blockade cause damages of 1.6 billion USD, equivalent to the cost of fuel needed to meet the country's normal electricity demand," he stated on X, a platform previously known as Twitter, without clarifying how these alleged losses are calculated.
He further noted that only 12 days of the embargo would result in losses of 250 million USD, equivalent to the annual maintenance cost of the National Electric System. However, these figures contrast with previous admissions from the Cuban government itself, acknowledging that the Cuban economy contracted by 1.1% in 2024 and failed to meet the projected 3% growth for the GDP.
Understanding the Impact of the U.S. Embargo on Cuba
What was the purpose of Bruno Rodríguez’s visit to New York?
Bruno Rodríguez visited New York to meet with Cuban residents in the U.S. and American graduates of Cuban medical schools, as well as to participate in the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly.
What claims did Rodríguez make regarding the U.S. embargo?
Rodríguez claimed that without the U.S. embargo, Cuba's GDP would have grown by 9.2% last year, with the blockade causing significant financial damages.
How does the Cuban government typically use meetings with the diaspora?
The Cuban government often uses these meetings to portray an image of dialogue with the diaspora, despite largely ignoring the freedom demands of the Cuban exile community.