UN expert urges end to US sanctions on Cuba over human rights impact
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UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan urges the United States to end its sanctions on Cuba, citing deep harm to human rights and the country's social fabric.
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Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council Alena Douhan departs after attending a press conference in Havana, Friday, November 21, 2025 (AP)
United Nations Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan has called for an end to the US sanctions on Cuba, describing them as "suffocating" and deeply damaging to the country’s economy and society.
During a press conference in Havana, Cuba, on Friday, Douhan said the sanctions have significantly reshaped everyday life in the country. She emphasized that the embargo is “suffocating the social fabric of Cuban society.”
The United States has imposed a comprehensive economic embargo on Cuba since 1960, following the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. The decades-long policy prevents US businesses and citizens from engaging in trade with Cuban entities.
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Impact of sanctions on Cuban society, economy
The UN Special Rapporteur criticized the far-reaching consequences of the unilateral measures, stating that they are “causing significant effects across all aspects of life” in the Latin American nation.
Douhan detailed how the sanctions have led to severe shortages of food, medicine, electricity, water, machinery, and spare parts. She also pointed to a wave of emigration by skilled professionals, including doctors, engineers, and teachers, that continues to strain the country’s capacity to provide essential services.
“As a result, generations of Cubans have lived under unilateral coercive measures, which has shaped the country’s economic and social landscape,” Douhan said in a statement issued Friday.
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Douhan noted that the embargo constitutes the longest-running unilateral sanctions regime in US history. She said the policy has grown more severe since 2018, with additional sanctions layered on top of existing restrictions.
The situation escalated further in 2021, she added, after Washington re-designated Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”
Global compliance and broader effects
The UN expert also criticized the global reach of US policy, noting that many international firms and governments comply with the embargo to avoid being hit with secondary sanctions by Washington.
“Suffocating the social fabric of Cuban society,” Douhan reiterated, the sanctions have also prevented the Cuban government from making long-term development plans.
She condemned the cumulative effects of the restrictions, asserting that they have had “severe consequences for the enjoyment of human rights, including the rights to life, food, health, and development.”
