Just two weeks ago, Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío admitted on CBS News' '60 Minutes' that the Havana government bore "a lot of responsibility" for the country's current crisis.
However, amidst international criticism, the regime's diplomat seems to have abandoned that acknowledgment, stating, "The problem is not Cuba. The problem is the U.S. aggression against Cuba."
This shift was evident in a Facebook post on Friday, two days after G7 foreign ministers called for democratic reforms, respect for fundamental freedoms, and the release of arbitrarily detained individuals in Cuba.
“It's surprising that international observers, including government representatives and various politicians, refer to Cuba with 'crisis' allusions without mentioning it is an induced crisis,” the diplomat wrote, attributing the crisis to deliberate actions by the U.S. government.
Fernández de Cossío argued that the embargo is enforced even from third-country territories and against the interests of their citizens and businesses. Yet, he failed to mention any accountability of the Cuban government in the economic and social decline of the island.
This omission contrasts starkly with his statements during the November 1 interview on 60 Minutes, when journalist Matt Gutman inquired about the Cuban authorities' responsibility for issues like power plant deterioration, wages, and infrastructure.
Initially responding with a comparison to social problems in the United States, Fernández de Cossío eventually conceded, "Our government has a lot of responsibility because there could have been decisions that might have been better."
Although he also pointed to U.S. sanctions as a major factor, that response, documented in CBS's original transcript, represented an unusually candid acknowledgment of internal errors by a high-ranking regime official.
In his new statement, however, that self-criticism is absent. The crisis is once again solely attributed to Washington's actions, with no mention of the governmental decisions that the Deputy Foreign Minister had previously admitted could have been improved.
G7 Calls for Reform; Havana Blames the Embargo
The diplomat's remarks followed the G7's expression of concern over the "deep economic crisis" and humanitarian needs of Cubans, particularly the shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.
In a joint statement released on November 11, following a ministerial meeting in Paris on November 9 and 10, the seven countries called for significant political and economic reforms, concrete steps towards a multi-party democratic system, freedom of the press, expression and association, and the release of all arbitrarily detained persons.
The document also urged improvements in the distribution mechanisms of humanitarian aid and encouraged a constructive and inclusive dialogue to find a way out of the crisis. It did not mention the U.S. embargo or explicitly attribute the Cuban situation to Washington's actions.
Havana's initial response came on Thursday, when Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla accused the G7 of overlooking the impact of the blockade, economic warfare, and U.S. energy siege. He also claimed the group was reiterating “false arguments fabricated by Washington” to justify the sanctions.
Fernández de Cossío's post, although not explicitly mentioning the G7, echoed this argument the next day: blaming the United States for the crisis and questioning those who describe the Cuban situation without addressing the sanctions.
The Deputy Foreign Minister expressed gratitude for international humanitarian aid and assured that the Cuban people only ask “to be left in peace, allowed to work in peace, and build their future in peace,” with the opportunity to “succeed, make mistakes, and redirect if necessary.”
Yet, he did not address international demands for political pluralism, freedom of expression, or political prisoners. Nor did he explain which internal decisions might have been better, as he had acknowledged to CBS.
The G7's demands coincide with a new report from Prisoners Defenders, which recorded 1,353 political prisoners in Cuba by the end of October, the highest number in its records.
While Fernández de Cossío portrays U.S. intervention as the primary barrier to Cubans building their future, the G7 calls for them to do so with political freedoms, fundamental rights, and without arbitrary detentions—demands that Havana's responses have ignored, burying them in its propagandistic rhetoric.
Understanding the Cuban Crisis
What did Carlos Fernández de Cossío initially acknowledge about Cuba's crisis?
Initially, Carlos Fernández de Cossío admitted that the Cuban government bore significant responsibility for the country's crisis, acknowledging that better decisions could have been made.
What is the G7's stance on the situation in Cuba?
The G7 has called for significant political and economic reforms in Cuba, including steps towards a multi-party democratic system, freedom of the press, expression, association, and the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals.
How did Havana respond to the G7's demands?
Havana responded by accusing the G7 of ignoring the impact of the U.S. blockade and economic warfare, repeating arguments they claim were fabricated by Washington to justify sanctions.