Further escalation of tensions around Cuba could destabilize entire Latin America, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement in connection with the issuance of an arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raul Castro in the United States.

“We would like to emphasize that further escalation of the situation around Cuba, which is already going through extremely difficult times due to the unprecedented trade, economic, financial and energy blockade, could destabilize the situation in entire Latin America and in the Caribbean. In case of a social explosion in Cuba, mass migration of Cuban citizens to neighboring countries is quite likely, putting them at risk of a social crisis,” the ministry stated.