The European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights, Kajsa Ollongren, interviewed Carolina Barrero, president of Citizenship and Freedom, during an advocacy week for the organization in Brussels.
The meeting, held on Thursday, April 16, focused on the freedom of association in Cuba and the role that the EU can play in transforming that reality, according to a video shared on social media by the non-governmental organization.
The question from Ollongren —"How can we help the cause?"— set the tone for a dialogue that Cuban civil society values as a recognition of its legitimacy as a partner in discussions with European institutions.
Barrero explained that the freedom of association is "the connective tissue of any democratic society" and that the Cuban regime has criminalized it for decades because it understands that, by creating barriers for citizens to advocate together for common interests, it maintains control over the entire society.
The activist linked her commitment to the personal experience of the 27N Movement that emerged in January 2021: "In Cuba in 2021, as part of the 27N movement, we did nothing extraordinary. We were a group of intellectuals, artists, and citizens trying to organize and advocate for artistic rights as well as civil rights. And the State responded with repression and criminalization."
During the meetings in Brussels, Ciudadanía y Libertad presented detailed documentation to European officials regarding the grave human rights situation on the island and the humanitarian crisis affecting the Cuban population, directly linked to the repressive policies of the regime.
The organization also documented systematic violations in detention centers, including conditions that could constitute cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, as well as the continued incarceration of minors, a practice that is contrary to international human rights standards.
In response to Ollongren's question about what the EU can and should do, Barrero was straightforward: "The first step is to stop treating Cuban civil society as a footnote in its relationship with the regime."
He also demanded consistency in European foreign policy: "We are not asking for anything exceptional. Treat Cuba the same way you treat Venezuela or Nicaragua", the same authoritarian countries in the region, not as an exception.
Barrero also reported that no Cuban military personnel responsible for human rights violations have been sanctioned under the EU’s Global Sanctions Regime, unlike what has happened with officials from Nicaragua and Venezuela, and demanded that these tools be used consistently and that the impunity of those responsible for the repression on the island comes to an end.
The visit of Barrero and Amelia Calzadilla, coordinator of Citizenship and Freedom, to Brussels comes at a time of increasing pressure on the EU.
In January 2026, the European Parliament approved an amendment with 331 votes in favor to revise and suspend privileged cooperation with Cuba, citing human rights violations, the deployment of at least 1,076 Cuban fighters to combat alongside Russia in Ukraine, and the use of European funds for repression.
Calzadilla confirmed this Wednesday that the EU has initiated a formal review process of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (ADPC), signed in 2017 and in force since 2021, after verifying that European aid funneled to supposed civil organizations in Cuba is controlled by the regime to silence genuine opposition.
The organization also believes that the ADPC has functioned as a failed mechanism that has not produced any real progress in terms of human rights, and it warned about dynamics of complicity that must be reviewed by European institutions.
Ciudadanía y Libertad also met in Brussels with the Vice President of the European Parliament, the Spanish MEP Esteban González Pons, with officials from the European External Action Service and with the Office of the Special Representative for Human Rights.
The organization emphasized in its publication that "dialogue and cooperation must prioritize Cuban civil society, which is ultimately the true driver of democratic change."
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