UNITED NATIONS, August 8. /TASS/. Fuel shortages have become the main cause of humanitarian problems in Cuba and have arisen as a consequence of US President Donald Trump's executive order, Cuba's Permanent Representative to the UN Ernesto Soberon Guzman told TASS.

"The root cause of the humanitarian situation facing the Cuban people is the fuel shortage, which is a direct consequence of the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 29 of this year," he said.

According to the diplomat, claims that the Cuban government has billions of dollars but refuses to spend them on fuel purchases are "absurd lies." "The problem is that no company dares to sell fuel to Cuba for fear of falling under US government sanctions," he emphasized. Soberon Guzman called this situation a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter and international trade rules.

On March 5, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington intends to develop a further course of action regarding Cuba after concluding the operation against Iran. On February 27, the White House stated that the US could take control of Cuba. On May 18, Politico reported that the US government is increasingly leaning toward the use of military force against Cuba. In a June interview with Axios, the US leader raised the possibility of conducting a regime-change operation in Cuba.