Statement by the Foreign Minister of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, at the open session: “BRICS: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability,” New Delhi, September 13, 2026.
Your Excellency, Dr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India:
I thank India for the invitation to this important Summit and for its generous hospitality.
BRICS has the potential to be a factor for peace and security for all, as well as for the development, justice, and progress of the Global South—indispensable elements for building a new multilateral, equitable, and democratic international order based on the sovereign equality of States and on International Law.
It is necessary to combat the “philosophy of plunder” in order to put an end to the “philosophy of war” that disrupts this era—66 years after Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz denounced it in 1960—and which now manifests itself in the so-called “peace through strength” and in aggressive, violent imperialist corollaries.
In this year marking the centenary of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, we are deeply moved to have arrived in this city on the anniversary of his first visit to India in 1973.
It is essential to replace the exploitative international financial architecture with one that democratizes its institutions and governance mechanisms; along this path, it will be necessary to establish an alternative financial system that allows for progress toward the de-dollarization of the international economy. The use of national currencies is a BRICS proposal of utmost importance for mitigating the imbalances of the current monetary system.
The BRICS New Development Bank must increasingly assert itself as an alternative enabling our countries to access financial resources under more favorable conditions.
The structural problems of our economies are the result of colonialism, savage and neoliberal capitalism, and imperialism: falling exports, volatile commodity prices, declining foreign direct investment, and external debt—which has already been paid off several times over; ...and capital flight seriously hinder our development. The inexorable advance of climate change threatens everyone's existence.
There is an urgent need to strengthen efforts regarding development financing and international cooperation—including South-South cooperation mechanisms and the transfer of resources, technologies, and knowledge—without conditionalities.
It is crucial to build an open, transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system that guarantees special and differential treatment for all developing countries.
The BRICS can also make significant contributions to the democratization of—and access to—science, technology, and innovation for the benefit of the Global South, helping to bridge the digital and technological divide.
No group is better positioned than the BRICS to call for and help create democratic, participatory governance systems for the development and application of new technologies—such as artificial intelligence—in the service of the people's development and well-being, while ensuring their peaceful, responsible, and ethical use. We welcome the work the BRICS has undertaken regarding digital technology and AI.
By their very nature, the BRICS bear an inescapable responsibility to prevent and take action against the proliferation of unilateral coercive measures.
In recent years, the criminal economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. against Cuba has been intensified to unprecedented levels.
Through executive orders issued on January 29 and May 1, 2026, the U.S. government has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba that is tantamount to a naval blockade—an act of war under international law—while threatening the entire planet with "secondary sanctions."
This has caused violent disruptions to the country's supply chains. Threats against shipping companies registered in various countries have left more than 7,000 containers—carrying primarily food, medicines, and medical devices—stranded in various ports, even though the majority were contracted and paid for by private Cuban companies.
It is a silent genocide that claims lives. The nation's infant mortality rate has doubled—from 4 per 1,000 live births to 9.9—and the survival rate for children with cancer has dropped from 85% to 65%. Inflicting human harm, suffering, and anguish is the objective of this cruel policy, which was deliberately designed for that very purpose.
It is an act of collective punishment against the entire Cuban people. Its indiscriminate humanitarian consequences are incalculable, causing great suffering to Cuban families. It is the instrument chosen to achieve "regime change."
This is the same logic underpinning Cuba’s unjustifiable retention on the fraudulent list of countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism.
The U.S. government attempts to justify its aggressive actions against Cuba—as noted in the text of both Executive Orders—with the crude pretext that the island poses an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the national security and foreign policy of this nuclear, economic, and technological military superpower.
Cuba is not a threat; the blockade is!
All these actions violate the United Nations Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international norms regarding trade and navigation.
If the United States government were permitted to destroy a small nation for the purpose of changing its political system—or for any other reason—the world would become even more dangerous than it already is. What would come next? Who would be next?
We are grateful to the Group’s member countries and partners for their statements calling for the lifting of the blockade and the energy embargo against Cuba, as well as for the countless, genuine displays of support and solidarity with our country from peoples around the world.
We are a peaceful nation. We pose no threat to anyone. Reason and justice are on our side. We will continue to defend our right to self-determination to the very end, and nothing will divert us from the path of socialist development that our people, in close unity, have freely chosen.
Our people and government are working hard in broad consensus, rapidly undertaking momentous economic and social changes to resolve structural problems—or those inherited from the past—and to respond to the economic war waged against us. No one will be left unprotected, nor will we waver in our social policies.
We place our trust, first and foremost, in our own capabilities, comparative advantages, and experience, as well as in the consciousness and mutual solidarity of the Cuban people. We will revitalize productive sectors, increase exports, and make the most of our resources. We will continue to forge ahead vigorously with transforming the country’s energy matrix. Under any circumstances, we will move forward with the recovery of our economy and the well-being of Cuban families.