Cuba warns US military action would be an international crime amid rising tensions with Washington

A senior Cuban official has warned that any United States military action against Cuba would amount to a serious international crime. Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cuba's deputy foreign minister, made the remarks in an interview on Sunday as tensions rose after comments by US President Donald Trump about the island. He also rejected Trump's description of Cuba as a failed state.

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Fernandez de Cossio said it would be an "atrocious international crime" for the US to use military force against what he described as a peaceful neighbouring country. He also accused Washington of coercive measures that he said were designed to pressure countries that do not submit to US demands. In his comments, he compared such pressure to genocide, saying it involved disrupting commercial shipments, trying to weaken a population through starvation, depriving people of stable healthcare and withholding fuel.

The exchange follows Trump's remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, where he said "freedom will be coming" to Cuba. The Cuban delegation walked out of the assembly hall after those comments. Trump also told reporters on Saturday that he did not think the military would be needed and said Cuba was "failing very badly".

The remarks have added to a long-running confrontation between Washington and Havana over sanctions, political pressure and the future of the island's government. The dispute matters because Cuba is already facing severe economic strain, and the official's comments linked the current pressure to shortages of fuel, food and other basic necessities. Fernandez de Cossio said the US had maintained a policy of maximum economic pressure for more than 60 years, and said an additional oil and fuel blockade imposed earlier this year had worsened infrastructure problems.

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He said the measures had contributed to widespread fuel scarcity and rolling power outages across the country of more than 10 million people. Cuban officials have repeatedly argued that the sanctions regime is affecting daily life and limiting the government's ability to secure essential supplies. Fernandez de Cossio said Havana must prepare its citizens for the possibility of US military aggression, while also saying Cuba would exercise its right to self-defence.

He added that diplomatic channels with Washington remain open, but said they have produced little because of the continuing economic pressure. What remains unclear is whether the latest rhetoric will lead to any change in policy or direct diplomatic contact between the two governments. The immediate focus is on how Washington responds to the accusations and whether the current sanctions and fuel restrictions are adjusted or maintained.

For now, the dispute appears set to continue as both sides trade accusations over sovereignty, pressure and the risk of escalation.

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