Cuban president accuses US of genocide, seeking takeover

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused the United States of pursuing what he called a “genocide” against Cuba and of trying to take control of the island. He made the remarks on Sunday in Pinar del Río during commemorations of the 73rd anniversary of the 1953 attack that is viewed as the start of the Cuban Revolution. The event came as Cuba faces one of its deepest economic crises in years.

According to the report, Díaz-Canel linked the hardship to Washington’s pressure campaign, including a U.S. oil embargo imposed on January 29. Al Jazeera said the measure has contributed to daily power cuts lasting more than 20 hours, reduced working days, halted industrial output, and shortages of water and medicine. The report also said Visa, Mastercard, Spain’s Meliá hotel chain, Air Canada and Air France have left the Cuban market amid the crisis.

Relations between Havana and Washington have long been hostile and have worsened under U.S. President Donald Trump, Al Jazeera reported. The article cited recent U.S. actions and allegations, including a State Department report accusing Cuba of espionage and influence operations, and a May indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over alleged crimes tied to the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles. Cuba has rejected those accusations and criticized Trump’s rhetoric.

The anniversary ceremony recalled the uprising against Fulgencio Batista, whose government fell in 1959 after the revolution led by Fidel and Raúl Castro. Al Jazeera noted that Raúl Castro, now 95, was not present at Sunday’s rally.