UN human rights rapporteur calls on United States to lift sanctions on Cuba

A United Nations human rights expert has called on the United States to end its decades-long sanctions against Cuba, warning that the restrictions are causing widespread suffering across the island nation and affecting essential sectors including healthcare, education, and food security.

Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council, made the appeal following her second visit to Cuba, where she observed a significant deterioration in living conditions compared to her previous trip in 2023. The worsening situation, she noted, can be attributed to increasingly strict measures imposed by Washington.

“For the communities with low income, the higher inflation as well as the scarcity of resources makes it very difficult to even get proper nutrition,” Douhan stated, urging the United States to abandon its “maximum pressure constraints” policy toward the Caribbean island.

Her appeal comes shortly after the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in late October to condemn the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba for the 33rd consecutive year, highlighting the international community’s consistent opposition to the long-standing policy.

Cuba has been grappling with a severe economic and energy crisis since 2020. The country’s gross domestic product has contracted significantly, while its 10 million residents endure frequent blackouts, critical food shortages, and soaring inflation. Cuban authorities have attributed this economic downturn to multiple factors, including COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and intensified U.S. sanctions.

The humanitarian impact has been particularly severe on vulnerable populations, according to Douhan. “As we talk about children as a very vulnerable group, the fact that those kids are not getting sufficient meals means that the educational and cultural programs as well as the participation in any development activity of children are substantially reduced,” she explained, noting that resource limitations have crippled many essential programs.

Healthcare has also been dramatically affected by the sanctions. Douhan reported alarming statistics regarding medical supplies: “As I reflected in my report, 69% of the medicine necessary for the people in Cuba are not available, which is why we are observing the growing mortality rate.” This medicine shortage represents one of the most direct and life-threatening consequences of the economic restrictions.

The U.S. embargo dates back to 1960, when it was imposed following Fidel Castro’s revolution that overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista. The revolutionary government subsequently nationalized properties belonging to U.S. citizens and corporations, triggering a diplomatic standoff that has lasted more than six decades.

Relations briefly thawed in 2016 when then-Cuban President Raul Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama officially restored diplomatic ties. That same year, the U.S. abstained for the first time on the annual General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the embargo, signaling a potential path toward normalization.

However, this diplomatic progress was reversed when Donald Trump took office in 2017. The Trump administration sharply criticized Cuba’s human rights record and reinstated the U.S. vote against the U.N. resolution condemning the embargo. Trump’s presidency saw a significant increase in sanctions against Cuba, a policy that continued under President Joe Biden and has been further tightened since Trump returned to office this year.

The renewed calls from U.N. experts highlight the growing humanitarian concerns associated with the embargo, which many international observers describe as one of the longest-running economic sanctions regimes in modern history. As Cuba’s economic crisis deepens, pressure continues to mount on Washington to reconsider its approach toward the island nation, particularly in light of the documented impacts on civilian populations.