Cuban Regime Bans Embassies from Importing and Using Starlink

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that all embassies and international organizations stationed in Havana are forbidden from importing and utilizing Starlink satellite internet equipment. This announcement was corroborated by Martí Noticias through at least two diplomatic sources, following an investigation by 14ymedio.

The notice, issued by the Cuban Foreign Ministry, references a previous directive—Note Verbal number 2372, dated January 6, 2025—and extends a prohibition, already enforced on Cuban citizens and businesses, to the diplomatic arena. The document makes no distinction between equipment for personal use and that intended for official diplomatic communications.

The directive is unequivocal: "The importation and use of 'Starlink' brand satellite internet communication terminals in Cuban national territory are not authorized."

The Ministry justifies this measure by invoking the state's sovereignty over the radio-electromagnetic spectrum, which is described as an inalienable resource protected by the Constitution. Notably, the notice does not specify any penalties for non-compliance by embassies nor does it offer alternative connectivity solutions in the event of state network failures.

The underlying motive is control. In May 2026, the state-run media outlet Razones de Cuba openly acknowledged that Starlink poses a "parallel and uncontrollable" network for the government, "inherently resistant to physical attacks or governmental interdiction." The official text detailed the uses that the regime fears: coordinating protests, disseminating information, connecting activists with the outside world, and bypassing state surveillance systems. While all communications routed through ETECSA can be monitored by the state, embassies using Starlink evade this control.

Diplomatic sources consulted by Martí Noticias expressed their dissatisfaction. A diplomat tied to a European mission in Havana was candid: "ETECSA's service is terrible. Anyone who can afford a Starlink does so and maintains a connection even during blackouts. And let's not even talk about privacy; we all know that anything through ETECSA is under their control."

Another source pointed out the hypocrisy of the measure: "It would be interesting if they first removed them from their own homes," referring to regime officials who reportedly use these devices in their residences.

According to a source cited by 14ymedio, several embassies and numerous small to medium-sized private enterprises were already operating with Starlink at the time of the notification. This reality likely prompted the Ministry to issue the warning.

The collapse of state telecommunications makes the ban even more striking. The complete outage in September left over 80% of radio-base stations out of service and resulted in a 58% internet traffic drop. In May 2026, Cuba recorded an average internet speed of just 7.21 Mbps, the lowest in Latin America.

The crackdown on Starlink has had tangible consequences for ordinary Cubans. On October 24, several satellite antenna sellers in Santa Clara were sentenced to four to five years in prison; authorities confiscated 37 devices, and buyers were fined 100,000 pesos. Months earlier, customs had seized shipments of Starlink antennas hidden in boxes of monitors and music equipment at the airport.

Elon Musk acknowledged in March 2026 that the technology functions within Cuban territory, though it cannot be officially sold there. As of now, no specific actions have been reported against any embassy for using the service.