Helfen statt Blockieren

05

Chapter 5 · Focus

Cuba: blockade from outside, obstacles within

Cuba shows both: a US embargo that also reaches companies in third countries, and hardship that also has causes at home. This chapter sets out both sides with sources.

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The US embargo

  1. The US imposes the embargo; the Cuban Assets Control Regulations have applied since 1963.

    Source: 31 CFR Part 515

  2. The Helms-Burton Act is expressly aimed at companies from third countries too. It is one reason for the EU Blocking Statute.

    Source: Reg. (EC) No 2271/96, annex

  3. The TSRA (Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act) allows sales of food and medicines, with a licence and against payment in advance.

    Source: Public Law 106-387, Title IX

  4. Western Union suspends transfers to Cuba after the US listed the processor Orbit S.A.

    Source: Bloomberg Línea, 10 Feb 2025

  5. Presidential order (Executive Order 14380): national emergency with respect to Cuba, additional tariffs on countries supplying oil.

    Source: Baker McKenzie, 4 Feb 2026

  6. New order: secondary sanctions on foreign companies and banks in energy, defence, mining, finance and security.

    Source: King & Spalding, 6 May 2026

United Nations, 28 October 2026

130 states for an end to the embargo

For the 34th time the General Assembly called for an end to the US embargo against Cuba: 130 states voted in favour, 17 against and 25 abstained. In 2025 the figures were 165 in favour, 7 against and 12 abstentions. Those voting against included the US, Israel, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica. The resolution is a recommendation and does not bind the US.

Source: United Nations, General Assembly, 28 Oct 2026; NTN24, 28 Oct 2026

Within the country

Obstacles in Cuba itself

Decisions within the country also contribute to the hardship. On 1 January 2021 the government introduced the currency reform “Tarea Ordenamiento” and set a single official rate of 24 pesos per US dollar; severe inflation followed. State rules for the economy and trade and tight limits on private initiative add to this.

The power grid collapsed nationwide several times in 2026; on 3 August, by Bloomberg Línea’s count, for the sixth time that year. Primicias cites as causes the fuel shortage, partly due to US oil pressure, and low generating capacity.

Source: Diario Libre, 10 Dec 2020; Bloomberg Línea, 3 Aug 2026; Primicias, 4 Aug 2026

Amnesty International, 19 January 2026

Political prisoners

Amnesty International documents cases of people imprisoned in Cuba for political reasons. The organisation describes the releases of 2025 as selective and calls for the immediate release of the people imprisoned for political reasons.

Source: Amnesty International, “Cuba: a un año de excarcelaciones selectivas, exigimos libertad inmediata para las personas presas por motivos políticos”, 19 Jan 2026, amnesty.org

Two views of the same hardship

UN Special Rapporteur

After her visit, Alena Douhan described shortages of medicines, food, fuel and spare parts and attributed them largely to the US measures and over-compliance. She called on the US to lift the measures and at the same time acknowledged Cuba’s primary responsibility for human rights.

Source: OHCHR, 21 Nov 2025

Cuban Observatory for Human Rights

The Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (OCDH) disagreed: the crisis, it said, is a direct consequence of the failure of the communist system, not of sanctions. In its own survey only 3 percent of respondents blamed the embargo for their problems. It asked that democratic voices from Cuba also be heard.

Source: CiberCuba, 25 Nov 2025, on the OCDH’s 8th report on social rights

On terminology: the Cuban government speaks of the “bloqueo”, the United Nations of the embargo. This magazine uses “US embargo”.

Sources in this chapter

  • 31 CFR Part 515
  • Reg. (EC) No 2271/96, annex
  • Public Law 106-387, Title IX
  • Bloomberg Línea, 10 Feb 2025
  • Baker McKenzie, 4 Feb 2026
  • King & Spalding, 6 May 2026
  • United Nations, General Assembly, 28 Oct 2026
  • NTN24, 28 Oct 2026
  • Diario Libre, 10 Dec 2020
  • Bloomberg Línea, 3 Aug 2026
  • Primicias, 4 Aug 2026
  • Amnesty International, “Cuba: a un año de excarcelaciones selectivas, exigimos libertad inmediata para las personas presas por motivos políticos”, 19 Jan 2026, amnesty.org
  • OHCHR, 21 Nov 2025
  • CiberCuba, 25 Nov 2025, on the OCDH’s 8th report on social rights
  • On terminology: the Cuban government speaks of the “bloqueo”, the United Nations of the embargo. This magazine uses “US embargo”.

All references with dates are in the list of sources.