Your Excellency, Dr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India:
I thank India for the invitation to this important Summit and for its generous hospitality.
BRICS has the potential to be a factor for peace and security for all, as well as for the development, justice, and progress of the Global South—elements indispensable to building a new multilateral, equitable, and democratic international order based on the sovereign equality of States and on international law.
It is necessary to combat the "philosophy of plunder" in order to put an end to the "philosophy of war" that disrupts our times—a philosophy denounced by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz back in 1960, and which now manifests itself in the so-called "peace through strength" doctrine and in aggressive, violent imperialist corollaries.
In this year marking the centenary of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, we are deeply moved to have arrived in this city on the anniversary of his first visit to India in 1973.
It is essential to replace the exploitative international financial architecture with one that democratizes its institutions and governance mechanisms; in doing so, it will be necessary to establish an alternative financial system that enables progress toward the de-dollarization of the international economy. The use of national currencies is a BRICS proposal of utmost importance for mitigating the imbalances of the current monetary system.
The BRICS New Development Bank must increasingly assert itself as an alternative for our countries to access financial resources under more favorable conditions.
The structural problems facing our economies are the result of colonialism, predatory and neoliberal capitalism, and imperialism. Falling exports, volatile commodity prices, declining foreign direct investment, external debt—already paid off several times over—and capital flight seriously hinder our development. The inexorable advance of climate change threatens everyone's existence.
It is urgent to strengthen efforts regarding development financing and international cooperation—including South-South cooperation mechanisms and the transfer of resources, technologies, and knowledge—without conditionalities.
It is crucial to build an open, transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system that guarantees special and differential treatment for all developing countries.
BRICS can also make significant contributions to the democratization of—and access to—science, technology, and innovation for the benefit of the Global South, helping to bridge the digital and technological divide.
No group is better positioned than the BRICS to call for and help create democratic, participatory governance systems for the development and application of new technologies—such as artificial intelligence—in order to harness them for the development and well-being of peoples, while ensuring their peaceful, responsible, and ethical use. We welcome the work carried out by the BRICS regarding digital technology and AI.
By their very nature, the BRICS bear an inescapable responsibility to prevent and take action against the proliferation of unilateral coercive measures.
In recent years, the criminal economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba has been intensified to unprecedented levels.
Through executive orders issued on January 29th and May 1st, 2026, the U.S. government has established an energy blockade against Cuba that is tantamount to a naval blockade—an act of war under international law—while threatening the entire world with "secondary sanctions."
This has caused severe disruption to the country's supply chains. Threats against shipping companies registered in various countries have left more than 7,000 containers—loaded primarily with food, medicines, and medical devices—stranded in various ports, even though the majority had been contracted and paid for by private Cuban companies.
It is a silent genocide that claims lives. The nation's infant mortality rate has more than doubled—rising from 4 per 1,000 live births to 9.9—and the survival rate for children with cancer has dropped from 85% to 65%. Inflicting human harm, suffering, and anguish is the objective of this cruel policy, which was deliberately designed for that very purpose.
It is an act of collective punishment against the entire Cuban people. Its indiscriminate humanitarian consequences are incalculable, causing immense suffering for Cuban families. It is the chosen instrument for achieving "regime change."
This is the same logic underpinning Cuba's unjustifiable retention on the fraudulent list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The U.S. government attempts to justify its aggressive actions against Cuba—as stated in the text of both Executive Orders—under the crude pretext that the island poses an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the national security and foreign policy of this nuclear, economic, and technological military superpower.
Cuba is not a threat; the blockade is!
All these actions violate the United Nations Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international norms regarding trade and navigation.
If the United States government were permitted to destroy a small nation for the purpose of changing its political system—or for any other reason—the world would become even more dangerous than it already is. What would come next? Who would be next?
We thank the Group’s member countries and partners for their statements calling for the lifting of the blockade and the energy embargo against Cuba, as well as the countless, genuine expressions of support and solidarity with our country from the peoples of the world.
We are a peaceful nation. We pose no threat to anyone. Right and justice are on our side. We will continue to defend our right to self-determination to the very end, and nothing will divert us from the path of socialist development that our people, in close unity, have freely chosen.
Our people and government are working hard in broad consensus, and we are now rapidly undertaking momentous economic and social changes to resolve structural problems—including those inherited from the past—and to respond to the economic war being waged against us. No one will be left unprotected, nor will we waver in our social policies.
We rely, first and foremost, on our capabilities, comparative advantages, and experience, as well as on the consciousness and mutual solidarity of the Cuban people. We will revitalize productive sectors, increase our exports, and make the most of our resources. We will continue to forge ahead vigorously in transforming the country's energy matrix. Under any circumstances, we will advance the recovery of our economy and the well-being of Cuban families.
We also stand ready to contribute, drawing on our modest experience, to strengthening the increasingly important BRICS group, which we aspire to join as full members.
Thank you very much.
