Havana: Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Monday denounced US sanctions against Cuba as a 'genocidal siege,' accusing Washington of imposing 'collective punishment' on the Cuban people.

According to Anadolu Agency, Diaz-Canel expressed that the sanctions should be condemned by international organizations and called for the criminal prosecution of those promoting them. The Cuban leader made his remarks on US social media platform X following the announcement of new sanctions by the US against several senior Cuban officials and government organizations, including ministers responsible for justice, energy, and communications, as well as Cuba's primary intelligence agency.

Diaz-Canel emphasized that neither Cuba's political leadership nor its military institutions held assets under US jurisdiction. He argued that the US lacked evidence to present and accused Washington of using 'anti-Cuban rhetoric of hatred' to justify an escalation of its 'economic war' against the island. He vowed to continue denouncing the sanctions, describing them as a genocidal siege aimed at strangling the Cuban people.

The Cuban president also criticized US measures targeting third parties attempting to supply fuel or invest in Cuba. He labeled the sanctions as immoral, illegal, and criminal, highlighting that they penalize firms providing essential goods such as fuel, food, medicine, and hygiene products to Cuba.

Cuba has been grappling with severe fuel shortages and widespread power outages, exacerbated by a US oil embargo imposed on January 30. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy recently disclosed in Cuban state media that the national grid was in a critical state due to the lack of fuel and diesel.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated that Cuba is 'next' following military operations against Iran, asserting that the communist-run island would soon fall.