BRASILIA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that Cuba is facing "the most severe situation in its entire history" and that only Cubans can determine the country's path forward.
In an interview published Tuesday on the news website "Brasil 247," Lula stressed his deep historical and personal ties to the island, saying he belongs to a generation that grew up admiring the revolution led by Fidel Castro.
He said Cuba is grappling with widespread shortages of basic needs, from food to electricity, fuel and medical supplies, describing the situation as the most severe in Cuba's history.
He suggested that the long-standing U.S. embargo has contributed to Cuba's difficulties, highlighting that U.S. President Donald Trump had "closed" the previous openings made during the presidency of Barack Obama.
While acknowledging the shipments of international aid to Cuba, including from China, Russia and Brazil, Lula warned that these efforts are not enough given the scale of the challenge.
"No one can 'adopt' a country. What is needed, in reality, is a medium- and long-term recovery plan, but only the Cubans can do that," he said.
