UN Urges US to End Cuba Sanctions

A United Nations human rights expert has urged the United States to lift its long-standing sanctions on Cuba, citing their severe impact on education, health care, food security, and overall livelihoods.

Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council, highlighted that the embargo has worsened Cuba’s humanitarian challenges and restricted access to essential economic resources. 

The sanctions, in place since the Cold War, are reported to be inconsistent with multiple international legal standards and have substantially limited Cuba’s ability to earn revenue, especially in hard currency.

Low-income communities in Cuba are facing significant hardships due to high inflation and scarcity of resources, making basic nutrition and medical access increasingly difficult. Douhan’s assessment follows consultations with officials and residents across both public and private sectors.

Cuba has been experiencing an ongoing economic and energy crisis since 2020, with declining GDP, food shortages, blackouts, and rising inflation. Authorities cite the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified US sanctions as major contributing factors.

The US embargo, imposed in 1960 after Fidel Castro’s revolution, prevents American businesses and citizens from trading with Cuban entities. The Trump administration expanded these measures and returned Cuba to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism after a brief removal under President Biden.

Despite the sanctions, the US maintains that the economic challenges stem from Cuba’s domestic policies, and that exports of food, medicine, and medical equipment are legally permitted.

The UN has consistently called for an end to the blockade, with the most recent vote marking the 33rd consecutive year of majority support from member states for lifting the embargo.