The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned that the expansion of US sanctions imposed on Cuba is causing severe harm to the population and endangering lives, and urged that these sanctions be lifted immediately.
Türk said that the restrictions on fuel since the beginning of 2026, and the recent tightening of sanctions with extraterritorial effect, 'directly harm Cubans, especially the most vulnerable groups... Children are dying due to the lack of medical supplies and essential medicines for doctors... This is unacceptable.'
Türk pointed out that the US declaration of a national emergency last January disrupted fuel shipments to Cuba, which sharply reduced the country's fuel reserves by mid-May. This shortage has caused daily power outages that now often exceed 20 hours.
In May, additional sanctions were imposed, including some with extraterritorial effect on private entities such as traders, insurance companies, tourism and shipping companies, financial institutions, and other entities involved in fuel supply or linked to the energy, defense, mining, finance, and security sectors in the country.
Türk explained that these measures collectively have a severe impact on the human rights of the population, especially their access to essential supplies and services, including water, food, and healthcare.
Vital medical services such as oncology, dialysis, and maternal health are under severe strain. Recent public health data show alarming trends, including a doubling of infant mortality to 9.9 per 1,000 live births, and a decline in childhood cancer survival rates from 85% to 65% since the fuel restrictions were imposed.
The essential medicines sector suffers from acute shortages, with supply levels falling to about 30%. Fuel shortages disrupt the agricultural food supply chain, resulting in a 60% decline in food production and a sharp increase in basic food prices.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that 'harsh sanctions packages targeting entire economic sectors, causing widespread, indiscriminate, and severe effects on the population, contradict the fundamental principles of international human rights law.'
Türk stressed the need to protect essential humanitarian activities under all circumstances, but said that many private sector actors impose restrictions beyond legal requirements, fearing sanctions. This leads to further delays in procurement, shipping disruptions, and increasing uncertainty in humanitarian supply chains.
The combined effects of these coercive measures and operational restrictions hinder the work of humanitarian agencies, including those of the UN system, in providing relief and essential assistance. Recently, the suspension of services by major shipping companies, due to risk aversion, has affected more than 2,900 metric tons of humanitarian food aid shipments.
The High Commissioner said: 'Cuba faces increasing isolation... Companies are leaving, the number of airlines operating flights to the country is decreasing, and it is almost isolated from international payment systems. Rising summer temperatures threaten to worsen the spread of vector-borne and waterborne diseases. The hurricane season also increases risks. All of this creates extremely dangerous conditions for the deterioration of social and economic conditions and the suffering of the Cuban people.'
The High Commissioner stressed the responsibilities of businesses regarding human rights, calling on commercial entities and institutions to avoid over-compliance and wholesale withdrawal, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Given the tensions arising from the current situation and the increased risk of social unrest in Cuba, Türk urged the authorities to exercise maximum restraint and respect the right to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. He also called on the Cuban government to release all arbitrarily detained individuals and engage in constructive dialogue and confidence-building efforts to ease social tensions.
