Several protests and expressions of opposition to the energy blockade imposed on Cuba have taken place across the United States, highlighting concerns among various sectors of society about the policy’s consequences for the Cuban population. One example was an article published on October 1, 2026, in New York Amsterdam News, entitled “The U.S. Blockade Against Cuba Is an Act of War and Genocide,” written by journalist Herb Boyd. The article examined the impact of the U.S. economic, commercial, and financial blockade on everyday life on the island.
Boyd, a member of an IBW21/PAUD delegation that visited Cuba earlier this year, shared his impressions of the country’s situation and discussed a meeting with Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In his article, Boyd highlighted the Cuban foreign minister’s statements regarding a report presented by Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 17, which outlines the effects attributed to the blockade.
Among the consequences cited in the report are prolonged power outages, food spoilage due to a lack of refrigeration, difficulties studying and resting, and limited access to the internet, communications, and recreational activities. The journalist also referred to the impact on sectors such as healthcare, education, and science, as well as economic losses estimated at $2.5 billion in tourism and $5.1 billion in the goods and services industry, according to figures presented in the Cuban report.
In his analysis, Boyd placed these circumstances within the broader historical context of relations between the United States and Cuba and recalled that the United Nations General Assembly has adopted resolutions calling for an end to the economic, commercial, and financial embargo against the island for decades.
The author also drew attention to the impact that the restrictions have, according to the cited report, on Cuban families’ living conditions and on sectors essential to the country’s development. His article thus joins the voices in the United States expressing concern about the consequences of measures against Cuba and calling for continued debate on their impact, particularly as the resolution on the embargo comes before the United Nations General Assembly.
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