The top U.N. official in Cuba told a news conference in New York via video link from Havana that there were “concerns that the crisis could deepen,” and that shortages created “acute humanitarian risks” for vulnerable communities.
‘Multiple shocks’
The tension comes after “multiple shocks,” including Hurricane Melissa in October, which affected more than 2.2 million people.
Cuban authorities have implemented a month-long contingency plan to help address the challenges created by the fuel shortage; However, the next steps are unclear and there is a possibility that the dire situation represents “a real risk to human suffering,” the Resident Coordinator said.
Daily life in Cuba is “becoming fragile” with essential services reduced across the country, which relies on oil for more than 90 percent of its energy needs.
medical scare
With five million people living with chronic diseases, Pichón highlighted that treatments are at risk due to the current energy crisis. For example, thousands of cancer patients needing ongoing cancer care and services for more than 32,000 pregnant women.
Additionally, almost a million people (about 10 percent of the population) get their drinking water from tankers, while 84 percent of pumping equipment relies on electricity, he said.
Food safety is also “deteriorating” with disruptions affecting the entire supply chain. Social protection is weakening as school programs and senior care centers struggle to extend services.
Real risks
“The risk to people’s lives is not rhetorical, those who suffer first and suffer the most are ordinary people, especially the most vulnerable.” Pichón told reporters at the UN in New York on Wednesday.
Amid this climate, it has been increasingly difficult to reach people in need, as energy shortages create transportation difficulties and import processes are delayed.
“Our capabilities would be limited unless there is a humanitarian reserve for oil and aid”
Diplomatic solution
Looking ahead, Pichón urged the international community to address this issue through a “diplomatic effort that can be carried out with the United States.”
Threats to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba have subsided following a Supreme Court ruling that made it illegal for the United States to use an emergency economic law in this context.
After the Cuban Coast Guard killed four Cuban citizens on a US-registered speedboat following a shooting at sea on Wednesday, Pichón urged “moderation to avoid escalation.”