A senior United Nations human rights official has issued a forceful appeal for the United States to immediately lift its long-standing sanctions against Cuba, stating they are causing profound suffering for the entire population.
Widespread Humanitarian Impact
Alena Douhan, the Special Rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Council, reported a marked deterioration across all sectors of Cuban society since her last visit in 2023. She attributed this decline directly to stricter measures imposed by Washington. The sanctions are hitting critical areas including healthcare, nutrition, and education, creating a nationwide humanitarian challenge.
"For 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. She explicitly called on the United States to cease employing sanctions and its policy of "maximum pressure constraints."
Critical Shortages and International Condemnation
The rapporteur highlighted a dire medicine shortage, revealing that 69% of essential medicines are unavailable, a factor contributing to a growing mortality rate. The crisis also severely affects children, with inadequate nutrition reducing their capacity to participate in educational and developmental activities.
This condemnation follows a recent international rebuke. In late October, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn the US economic embargo of Cuba for the 33rd year. Cuba's economy has been in a tailspin since 2020, with its population of 10 million enduring blackouts, food shortages, and rampant inflation.
A Long-Standing Political Dispute
The US embargo was first imposed in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. A brief thaw occurred in 2016 when relations were restored under Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama. That year, the US abstained from the annual UN vote against the embargo for the first time.
However, the policy was reversed under President Donald Trump, who criticised Cuba's human rights record. Sanctions were significantly tightened during his first term, a policy that continued under President Joe Biden and has been intensified following Trump's return to office this year.
