Beyza Binnur Donmez
02 June 2026•Update: 02 June 2026
UN experts on Tuesday voiced concern over what they described as escalating US threats and coercive measures against Cuba, warning that such actions undermine the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
In a statement, the experts said efforts to change the constitutional order of a sovereign state through threats and coercion “echo colonial-era practices.”
They pointed to US President Donald Trump’s declaration of the so-called “Donroe Doctrine” in March and remarks on the “honor of taking Cuba” as signs of a broader strategy aimed at pressuring the island nation.
The experts said these actions go beyond rhetoric and are linked to longstanding US measures against Cuba, including its economic embargo, Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, a recent fuel blockade, and restrictions affecting third parties.
They also criticized the recent US indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro, saying the use of domestic judicial proceedings against current or former heads of state as a foreign policy tool violates the principles of sovereign equality and self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter.
The experts also expressed concern over the announced deployment of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the southern Caribbean, describing it as an additional element of unlawful coercion.
“These actions are part of a disturbing trend of lawlessness and contempt of multilateralism and the UN Charter,” they said.
The experts called on Washington to cease threats against Cuba’s sovereignty and urged UN member states and UN bodies to uphold the international legal order and address the issue as a matter affecting international peace and security.
