Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel blasts 'interventionist' U.S. amid protests over shortages
Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel blasted the U.S. as “interventionist” and for having "contempt" toward the Cuban people and the Cuban revolution, during an exclusive interview with NBC News in Havana.
HAVANA — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel blasted the U.S. as “interventionist” and for having "contempt" toward the Cuban people and the Cuban revolution in an interview with NBC News in Havana on Tuesday.
Hundreds of Cubans have been taking to the streets to protest shortages of food and power. The government accused the U.S. on Monday of firing up the protesters; in response, the U.S. State Department called the accusations “absurd.”
Responding to the State Department's comments, Díaz-Canel said: “They're always looking for justifications and turning things around. The most absurd thing is that they have applied a criminal blockade against us for more than 65 years. That is the absurdity.”
Díaz-Canel seldom does interviews, especially with U.S. media outlets, but he spoke with NBC News during Havana’s International Informatics Fair, focused on digital technology.
Díaz-Canel said the “absurdity” of the “blockade” is what has provoked the protests.
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