During a recent UN briefing, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, dismissed accusations that U.S. sanctions are responsible for Cuba's escalating humanitarian crisis. Instead, he attributed the situation to the Cuban government's corruption and economic failures. The UN has reported that Cuba is experiencing critical shortages in basic services, including food, water, and healthcare, with daily power outages exceeding 20 hours in Havana. Edem Wosornu from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs highlighted the dire impact of overlapping crises, including energy shortages and logistical challenges for humanitarian aid delivery. The UN's humanitarian action plan for Cuba aims to raise $94.1 million to assist 2.2 million people, but only about $31 million has been secured so far. Meanwhile, Cuba's permanent representative to the UN, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, accused the U.S. of imposing a policy of collective punishment, exacerbating the crisis. Waltz countered by stating that the U.S. is committed to aiding the Cuban people directly, not through the government, and emphasized the need for Cuba to reform its economy.