Cuban president accuses Washington of reviving 'McCarthyism'

Cuban president accuses Washington of reviving 'McCarthyism'
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel attends a government rally called by Cuban authorities to protest U.S. policies toward the island, in Havana, Cuba, 22 May 2026.
Reuters

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has criticised the latest U.S. sanctions on Cuba, accusing Washington of reviving a "new and more dangerous version of McCarthyism" through a campaign against what he called the global "radical left."

In a post on X, Díaz-Canel claimed transnational far-right alliances are being promoted in ways that "recall Hitlerite fascism" and questioned whether accusations against the left are being used to justify "new abuses and greater aggression."

The Cuban leader also accused the United States and its allies of responsibility for the war in Gaza, the bombing of a girls' school in Iran, the persecution of migrants and the decades-long U.S. embargo on Cuba, saying such actions threaten global peace.

The remarks come as Cuba faces a deep economic crisis, with severe fuel shortages, prolonged power cuts and a contracting economy.

Cuban authorities blame much of the situation on tighter U.S. restrictions, saying they have disrupted oil supplies and limited the country's access to international financing.

On 1 May, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Cuban officials and entities, citing repression and threats to U.S. national security. Earlier this year, he also established a mechanism to impose tariffs on goods from countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba.

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