Ankara: Cuba announced that over 7,000 cargo containers containing goods destined for the island have been blocked or delayed at international ports due to US sanctions. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade, Oscar Perez-Oliva Fraga, revealed this during a session of the National Assembly of People's Power in Havana, stating that the containers were purchased legally under international trade regulations.

According to Anadolu Agency, the delayed cargoes include essential items such as food, supplies for the country's energy grid overhaul, resources for drinking water production, and crucial medicines. Perez-Oliva Fraga attributed these delays to an intensified US sanctions campaign, indicating that Washington's pressure on Havana has increased steadily since the start of the year, exacerbating what he described as an existing "energy siege" against the island.

Perez-Oliva Fraga criticized the US for what he termed as 'collective punishment' against the Cuban people, asserting that the pressure has intensified since the beginning of the year. Earlier this month, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez described the US embargo as an 'act of war,' claiming it was causing severe hardship for the Cuban population.

Cuba has been grappling with a deep economic crisis over the past six years, characterized by widespread power outages, shortages of basic goods, declining production, high inflation, and a weakening peso. Cuban officials have consistently blamed US sanctions for these economic challenges, while Washington maintains that its measures are aimed at the Cuban government and associated entities.