The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned the latest expansion of United States economic sanctions against Cuba, describing the measures as a humanitarian crisis that continues to inflict hardship on ordinary citizens rather than political leaders.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, 14 July, 2026, the rights organisation said the recent decision by the U.S. government to extend sanctions to additional Cuban institutions, including the Ministry of Tourism and other strategic entities, represented a further escalation of a policy that has adversely affected the Caribbean nation for decades.
The group argued that while countries may pursue foreign policy objectives, such actions should not come at the expense of fundamental human rights, insisting that “humanity must come before politics.”
CDHR maintained that the sanctions have contributed to worsening shortages of food, medicine, fuel and medical supplies, while also limiting Cuba’s access to humanitarian assistance and international financial services.
According to the organisation, the burden of the restrictions falls disproportionately on vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, persons living with disabilities and low-income families struggling to meet their daily needs.
The organisation further warned that the cumulative impact of the sanctions continues to strain Cuba’s healthcare system, economy, transportation network, energy sector and access to basic social services, threatening the welfare and dignity of millions of Cubans.
It stressed that rights such as access to food, healthcare, development and national self-determination are guaranteed under international human rights law and should not become casualties of geopolitical disputes.
“Human rights cannot be selectively defended. They must apply equally to every individual and every nation. The protection of human life must always take precedence over political disagreements or ideological differences,” the statement read.
The rights group urged the United States government to review its policy towards Cuba and adopt measures that place greater emphasis on protecting the Cuban people’s rights to life, health, food and development.
It also called on Washington to respect Cuba’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
Beyond its appeal to the United States, CDHR urged the United Nations, humanitarian organisations, civil society groups and the wider international community to intensify diplomatic engagement and humanitarian support to alleviate the suffering of the Cuban people.
The organisation argued that dialogue, constructive engagement and international cooperation offer more sustainable solutions to disputes between nations than economic restrictions that deepen poverty and limit access to essential services.
The statement was jointly signed by the National President of CDHR, Comrade Yinka Folarin, and the organisation’s General Secretary, Comrade Idris Afees.
The latest reaction follows the U.S. government’s recent decision to widen sanctions against additional Cuban entities as part of Washington’s long-running policy towards Havana. The U.S. embargo on Cuba, first imposed in the early 1960s after the Cuban Revolution, has remained one of the world’s longest-running sanctions regimes.
While successive U.S. administrations have differed on the degree of engagement with Cuba, the broader embargo has remained in place despite repeated calls by the United Nations General Assembly for its removal, with many countries arguing that the restrictions have significant humanitarian and economic consequences for the Cuban people.
