The European Union demanded on Tuesday that the Cuban regime implement urgent political and economic reforms during the UN General Assembly debate on the US embargo against Cuba, making it clear that the crisis faced by the Cuban people cannot be solely attributed to Washington's sanctions.
The European ambassador to the United Nations, Stavros Lambrinidis, delivered the speech on behalf of the bloc and its member states, which was also supported by candidate countries such as Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Norway, Andorra, San Marino, and the United Kingdom.
Lambrinidis acknowledged the adverse humanitarian impact of the embargo on Cubans, but he was categorical in pointing out that this alone does not explain the situation on the island: "The serious situation of the Cuban people is not solely due to the embargo. Significant political and economic reforms are urgently needed from the Cuban authorities. These reforms must include full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Cuban people, as well as the release of all those arbitrarily detained."
The European diplomat also demanded that the regime open spaces for constructive and inclusive dialogue with civil society, a request that holds particular significance at a time when Cuba has accumulated 1,281 political prisoners, according to data cited by the European Parliament in late May 2026.
Another central part of the speech was the direct criticism of Havana for its alignment with Moscow. "We deeply regret that Cuba's stance on Russia's illegal aggression against Ukraine has not been consistent with the principles of the UN Charter," stated Lambrinidis, referencing Cuba's vote against the resolution on February 24 regarding the ceasefire in Ukraine.
The EU urged the regime to refrain from supporting the Russian aggression and to prevent Cuban citizens from joining the Russian military, referring to the estimated 20,000 Cubans recruited since 2023 to fight in that conflict.
The debate at the UN took place on the same day that Cuba experienced its third nationwide blackout of 2026, with over 68% of the island without electricity at the same time.
Lambrinidis described without euphemisms the everyday reality of Cubans: "Millions of Cubans are facing daily power outages, shortages of medicines and food, collapsing public services, and increasing difficulties in accessing even the most basic healthcare. Hospitals are struggling to operate. Families spend hours searching for fuel, transportation, or essential products."
The European discourse is framed within a progressive hardening of Brussels' stance towards Havana.
In June, the European Parliament approved sanctions against Díaz-Canel with 283 votes in favor, including measures against the leaders of the military conglomerate GAESA and the suspension of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed in 2016.
The High Representative Kaja Kallas had acknowledged in May that this agreement "has not yielded the expected results" after nearly a decade.
Regarding the Helms-Burton Act, the EU reiterated its rejection of the extraterritorial application of this law, which impacts European economic interests, and reaffirmed that community law prohibits its member states from implementing it.
Lambrinidis concluded his intervention with a message that summarizes the European stance: "Let us be equally clear: humanitarian assistance alone will not resolve the crisis in Cuba. Important sovereign decisions can no longer be postponed."
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