On Friday, President Miguel Díaz-Canel met with Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures. During their meeting, he deflected blame for Cuba's issues onto the U.S. embargo and the country's inclusion on the terrorist list, while Douhan acknowledged the humanitarian impact of these sanctions.
The Cuban government turned this visit into a strategic propaganda event, aiming to bolster the narrative that nearly all of the island's problems stem from the American embargo.
A Propaganda-Driven Meeting
While the Palace of the Revolution rolled out the red carpet with cameras ready to showcase a UN official critical of Washington, millions of Cubans continued to endure power outages, shortages, a health crisis, and repression. These realities are rarely highlighted in official discourse and were not central to Douhan's public statements.
In the televised meeting, Díaz-Canel described Douhan's visit as "very important and significant," presenting it as international validation of Havana's stance on the embargo and Cuba's designation as a supposed state sponsor of terrorism.
Díaz-Canel's Narrative and International Scrutiny
The leader stressed that "the lives of all Cubans" are affected by the embargo, labeling it a "genocidal" policy intensified during the first term of President Donald Trump (2017-2021). He also noted the recent reinforcement of these policies with Trump's return to the White House, which saw Cuba re-added to the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Díaz-Canel assured Douhan that the country is "fully willing" to cooperate with the Council's human rights mechanisms, glossing over Cuba's long-standing restrictions on international scrutiny regarding civil liberties, political pluralism, and the criminalization of dissent.
Douhan Endorses the "Blockade" Complaint
In a statement to national and international media, Douhan echoed much of Havana's economic script. She stated that U.S. sanctions have "exacerbated" Cuba's humanitarian crisis, affecting food, household income, and the state's ability to maintain basic infrastructure, from power plants and water systems to housing and public buildings.
Douhan also highlighted the shortage of medicines and spare parts, noting that life expectancy, once among the highest in the region, has declined in recent years. The government often attributes the deterioration of its healthcare system almost exclusively to the embargo.
She underscored the extraterritorial nature of Washington's measures and criticized Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism as contrary to international law, urging an end to the "sanctions rhetoric" as a political tool to isolate the island.
Silencing Civil Society
While the government organized tours for Douhan to selected institutions and provided extensive reports on the embargo's damage, independent activists and organizations protested that once again, critical civil society was sidelined, unable to voice concerns about political prisoners, repression, poverty, and lack of freedoms that cannot be solely blamed on the conflict with the United States.
Many Cubans question the government's blame on the "blockade," while it maintains privileges for the elite, invests in luxury, nearly empty hotels, and lets essential infrastructure deteriorate.
Others criticize the comfortable lives of leaders and their families, holding the political system directly responsible for decades of economic mismanagement.
Comments from Cubans inside and outside the country on social media reflect growing discontent. Many point out that while the "blockade" is blamed for every pothole, daily reality is marked by censorship, persecution of protesters, and an "internal blockade" made of bureaucratic hurdles, political controls, and lack of basic rights.
Political Capital Havana Intends to Exploit
The contrast between the regime's victim narrative and the citizens' direct experiences highlights a double standard that Douhan's visit did not fully expose, despite her mandate's formal focus on comprehensive human rights defense.
The rapporteur's visit comes at a time when the Cuban government is trying to manage an unprecedented economic crisis, exacerbated by the tightening of sanctions under Trump's administrations and the new 2025 presidential memorandum reinforcing the "maximum pressure" policy.
The renewed inclusion of Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism further complicates financial operations, increases costs, and deters banks and businesses in third countries, which Havana uses to reinforce its narrative of constant siege.
With the political endorsement of a preliminary UN report focused almost exclusively on the sanctions' consequences, Díaz-Canel seeks to gain international support without taking internal responsibility for the inefficiency, authoritarianism, and systemic corruption.
The result is a scene where the regime presents itself as a model victim in human rights matters, while continuing to deny its citizens the most basic right: to narrate, without fear, the other half of the story that doesn't fit into the official accounts of the "blockade."
Insights on Cuba's Political Situation and Sanctions
What impact do U.S. sanctions have on Cuba?
U.S. sanctions have exacerbated Cuba's humanitarian crisis, affecting food supply, household income, and the state's ability to maintain essential infrastructure, according to Alena Douhan, the UN special rapporteur.
How does the Cuban government use the embargo as a narrative tool?
The Cuban government uses the embargo as a scapegoat for the country's numerous problems, presenting it as the main cause of economic and social issues, while minimizing internal political and systemic failures.
What are the criticisms of the Cuban government's handling of the internal situation?
Critics argue that the Cuban government maintains privileges for the elite and invests in luxury projects instead of improving essential infrastructure, while also suppressing dissent and limiting freedoms.