Tag: Cuba

U.S. Stands Ready to Help the Cuban People 

That was the title of an October 30 Press Statement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio[1] that stated the following:

  • “In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation of eastern Cuba, the Trump Administration stands with the brave Cuban people who continue to struggle to meet basic needs. As in neighboring Caribbean countries, the Department is issuing a Declaration of Humanitarian Need for Cuba and is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and via local partners who can most effectively deliver it to those in need.”
  • “U.S. law includes exemptions and authorizations relating to private donations of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba, as well as disaster response. We encourage those seeking to directly support the Cuban people to contact us if there are any issues. Questions can be sent to CubaHumanitarian@state.gov.”

The referenced Declaration of Humanitarian Need for Cuba was not located on the State Department’s website. Instead, there was a Fact Sheet entitled “Providing Private Donations of Humanitarian Assistance to the Cuban People After Huricane Melissa,” [2] which stated the following:

  • “Members of the public often ask whether and how they can provide humanitarian support for the Cuban people.  While the embargo remains in place, the U.S. government prioritizes support for the Cuban people, and U.S. law and regulations include exemptions and authorizations relating to exports of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba, as well as disaster response.  In cases where these require an export license, the U.S. government can expedite review of such license applications to facilitate the timely export of humanitarian goods, including medical supplies, to Cuba.  Through the Departments of Commerce and the Treasury, there are many options available for expediting the export of humanitarian goods to Cuba.  We actively encourage those seeking to support the Cuban people to use these options and contact us if there are issues. Specific questions not answered below can be sent to CubaHumanitarian@state.gov, which will receive a prompt reply.”
  • “S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), General Licenses (GLs) and Specific Licensing”
  • “OFAC maintains several general license authorizations designed to support the wellbeing of the Cuban people.  The following GLs are related to humanitarian travel, trade, and assistance with Cuba pursuant to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR), as outlined in OFAC’s Fact Sheet: Provision of Humanitarian Assistance and Trade to Combat COVID 19 .”
  • “§ 515.206(b) of the CACR stipulates that the prohibitions in the CACR do not apply to transactions incident to the donation of food to nongovernmental organizations or individuals in Cuba.”
  • “§ 515.533 of the CACR authorizes all transactions ordinarily incident to the export from the United States, or the reexport from a third country, to Cuba of items licensed or otherwise authorized by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) subject to certain conditions.”
  • “515.572(a) of the CACR authorizes persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide carrier services by vessel or aircraft to, from, or within Cuba, in connection with authorized travel, without the need for a specific license from OFAC. Persons providing carrier services for authorized travelers going from the United States to Cuba may transport cargo and baggage accompanying an authorized traveler provided that the export of the cargo and baggage is authorized by Commerce, and other cargo or unaccompanied baggage whose export to Cuba is authorized by Commerce. Note: (1) the export or reexport of certain vessels or aircraft providing carrier services under § 515.572(a)(2) requires separate authorization from Commerce, and (2) the Department of Transportation currently limits passengers and cargo air services to and from Cuba.”
  • “§ 515.574 of the CACR authorizes, subject to conditions, travel-related transactions and other transactions that are intended to provide support for the Cuban people, provided the activities are of recognized human rights organizations; independent organizations designed to promote a rapid, peaceful transition to democracy; or individuals and NGOs that promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba.”
  • “§ 515.575 of the CACR authorizes, subject to conditions, transactions, including travel-related transactions, that are related to humanitarian projects in or related to Cuba that are designed to directly benefit the Cuban people. These authorized humanitarian projects include: medical and health-related projects; construction projects intended to benefit legitimately independent civil society groups; disaster preparedness, relief, and response; historical preservation; environmental projects; projects involving formal or non-formal educational training, within Cuba or off-island, on various topics.”
  • “§ 515.591 of the CACR authorizes persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to provide Cuba or Cuban nationals (including the Cuban government and state-owned entities) with services related to developing, repairing, maintaining, and enhancing Cuban infrastructure that directly benefit the Cuban people, consistent with the export or reexport licensing policy of Commerce. “Infrastructure” in this case means systems and assets used to provide the Cuban people with goods and services produced or provided by the public transportation, water management, waste management, non-nuclear electricity generation, and electricity distribution sectors, as well as hospitals, public housing, and primary and secondary schools.”
  • “Specific Licensing: For most transactions not otherwise exempt or authorized by OFAC general licenses, OFAC considers specific license requests on a case-by-case basis and prioritizes review of license applications, compliance questions, and other requests related to humanitarian support for the Cuban people.  For additional information on OFAC’s licensing process, see the guidance at: OFAC Licensing Process.”
  • “If you have additional questions regarding the scope of the Cuba sanctions requirements, or the applicability or scope of any humanitarian-related authorizations, please contact OFAC’s Sanctions Compliance and Evaluation Division at (800) 540-6322 or (202) 622-2490, or by email at OFAC_Feedback@treasury.gov.”
  • “U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Licenses “
  • “The export and reexport to Cuba of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations(EAR) generally requires a BIS license. While there is a general policy of denial for most exports and reexports to Cuba of  items subject to the EAR, the EAR states which categories of exports and reexports may generally be approved or reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  In addition, certain types of license exceptions exist for different categories of transactions.  If the exporter determines the export or reexport transaction meets the criteria of the license exception, the exporter may choose to use the license exception and not apply for a license.”]
  • “There is a general policy of approval for the following categories of exports, subject to certain conditions:
  • “Medicines and medical devices, whether sold or donated.”
  • ‘Telecommunications items that would improve communications to, from, and among the Cuban people.’
  • ‘Items necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation and the safe operation of commercial aircraft engaged in international air transportation.’
  • “Items necessary for the environmental protection of U.S. and international air quality, waters or coastlines, including items related to renewable energy or energy efficiency.”

“There is a case-by-case review policy for the following categories of items:

  • “Items to meet the needs of the Cuban people, including items for export or reexport to state-owned enterprises, agencies, and other organizations of the Cuban government that provide goods and services for the use and benefit of the Cuban people.”
  • “If you have additional questions please contact BIS’s Foreign Policy Division at 202-482-4252 or by email at Policy@bis.doc.gov.”

“License Exception for Gift Parcels”

  • “Gift Parcels and Humanitarian Donations (GFT) (Section 740.12(a) of the EAR) authorizes the export and reexport of certain donated items by an individual (donor), or a forwarding service acting on behalf of the donor, to an eligible recipient (donee). Gift parcels may contain a variety of items, including food, most medicines, medical supplies and devices, certain consumer communications devices, and other items of a type normally exchanged as gifts between individuals, subject to restrictions described in Section 740.12(a) of the EAR.  Eligible recipients (donees) are individuals, other than certain Cuban Government or Cuban Communist Party officials, and charitable, educational, and religious organizations in Cuba that are not administered or controlled by the Cuban Government or the Cuban Communist Party. For example, hospitals or schools administered or controlled by the Cuban Government are not eligible recipients.”
  • “Donors may send one gift parcel per month per eligible recipient. The combined total domestic retail value of eligible items may not exceed $800 per gift parcel. However, the frequency and value limits do not apply to food donated in gift parcels. Items contained in gift parcels must also be in quantities normally given as gifts between individuals.”
  • “In addition, Section 740.12(b) of License Exception GFT authorizes the donation of eligible items to meet basic human needs provided the donors meet the eligible criteria and maintain a system of verification to ensure that the donated items are delivered to the intended recipients.”
  • “ For questions specific to Cuba, contact CubaHumanitarian@state.gov.”

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[1] U.S. Dep’t of State, Marco Rubio Press Statement:  U.S. Stands Ready to Help the Cuban People (Oct. 30, 2025).

[2] U.S. Dep’t of State, Providing Private Donations of Humanitarian Assistance to the Cuban People After Hurricane Melissa (Oct. 30, 2025).

U.S. Sanctions Cuban President and Others for Alleged Participation in Serious Human Rights Violations 

On July 11,  the U.S. State Department announced sanctions against Cuba/s President (Miguel Diaz-Canel) and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior (Alvaro Lopez Miera and Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas and members of their families) for alleged participation in serious human rights violations associated with the popular demonstrations on July 11 and 12, 2021.[1]

A senior State Department official said, “The United States will never forget the tenacity of the Cuban people four years ago in demanding freedom and a future free from tyranny . The Trump Administration remains steadfast in its commitment to holding the Cuban regime accountable for its repressive actions and rampant acts of corruption.”

The U.S. also updated the list of sanctioned Cuban regime properties with which U.S. citizens and companies are prohibited from doing business, including 11 hotels (the Grand Aston La Habana; the Hotel Sevilla Affiliated by Melia; the Iberostar Selection La Habana; the INNSiDE Habana Catedral; the Varadero Sol Caribe and the Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort, both in Cuba’s main beach resort; the Ocean Casa del Mar and the Roc Lagunas del Mar, both on Cayo Santa María; the Meliá Trinidad Península, on María Aguilar Beach in Santi Spíritus; and the Meliá Costa Rey, on Cayo Coco).

Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked this development with the following statement:

  • “Four years ago, thousands of Cubans peacefully took to the streets to demand a future free from tyranny.  The Cuban regime responded with violence and repression, unjustly detaining thousands, including over 700 who are still imprisoned and subjected to torture or abuse.”
  • “Today, the Department of State is taking steps to implement President Trump’s strengthened Cuba policy outlined in National Security Presidential Memorandum
  • From June 30, 2025.  In solidarity with the Cuban people and the island’s political prisoners, the United States is designating key regime leaders under Section 7031(c) for their involvement in gross violations of human rights.  We are also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on numerous Cuban judicial and prison officials responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention and torture of July 2021 protestors.”
  • “In addition, the Department is updating the Cuba Restricted List and the Cuba Prohibited Accommodations List to include 11 regime-linked properties, including the new 42-story “Torre K” hotel, to prevent U.S. funds from reaching the island’s corrupt repressors.”
  • “The U.S. will continue to stand for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Cuba, and make clear no illegitimate, dictatorial regimes are welcome in our hemisphere.”

Also on July 11, 2025, President Diaz-Canel from New York City responded with disdain and irony. “What bothers the US about Cuba is true independence, that transnational corporations don’t govern here, that we have free healthcare and education, that we don’t ask permission to condemn crimes like those committed by Israel and the US against the Palestinians.” His wife, Lis Cuesta, added similar words from Havana. [Lis Cuesta responds with disdain to US sanctions on Diaz-Canel’s “mango”: “They’re late.” Diario de Cuba (July 13, 2025).]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1]   The US sanctions Miguel Diaz-Canel, the ministers of the Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), and their families, Diario de Cuba (July 11, 2025) https://diariodecuba.com/cuba/1752270248_61968.html

 

Justice for the Cuban People on the Fourth Anniversary of the July 11 Protests, State Department (July 11, 2025) https://www.state.gov/releases/2025/07/justice-for-the-cuban-people-on-the-fourth-anniversary-of-the-july-11-protests/

 

President Trump Directs Strengthening U.S. Policy Towards Cuba

                                                                                                                                                  On June 30, U.S. President Donald J. Trump directed a strengthening of U.S. policy regarding Cuba by issuing a National Security Presidential Memorandum and the Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba.[1]

The Fact Sheet provides the following summary of  the National Security Presidential Memorandum (HSPM):

“Strengthen the Policy of the U.S. toward Cuba”

  • “This NSPM restores and strengthens the robust Cuba policy from the President’s first term, reversing the Biden Administration’s revocation that eased pressure on the Cuban regime.”
  • “The NSPM ends economic practices that disproportionately benefit the Cuban government, military, intelligence, or security agencies at the expense of the Cuban people.”
    • “Direct or indirect financial transactions with entities controlled by the Cuban military, such as Grupo de Administration Impresario S.A. (GAESA), and its affiliates are prohibited, with exceptions for transactions that advance U.S. policy goals or support the Cuban people.”
  • “It enforces the statutory ban on U.S. tourism to Cuba and ensures compliance through regular audits and mandatory record-keeping of all travel-related transactions for at least five years.”
  • “The NSPM supports the economic embargo of Cuba and opposes calls in the United Nations and other international forums for its termination.”
  •  “The NSPM amplifies efforts to support the Cuban people through the expansion of internet services, free press, free enterprise, free association, and lawful travel.”
  • “It ensures the ‘Wet Foot, Dry Foot’ policy remains terminated to discourage dangerous, unlawful migration.”
  • “The NSPM ensures that engagement between the United States and Cuba advances the interests of the United States and the Cuban people, including through promoting human rights, fostering a private sector independent of government control, and enhancing national security.”
  • “The NSPM mandates a review of human rights abuses in Cuba, including unlawful detentions and inhumane treatment, and requires a report on fugitives from American justice living in Cuba or being harbored by the Cuban government.”

“Promoting A Stable, Prosperous, and Free Cuba:

“President Trump is committed to fostering a free and democratic Cuba, addressing the Cuban people’s long-standing suffering under a Communist regime.”

  • “The Cuban people have long suffered under a Communist regime that suppresses their legitimate aspirations for freedom and prosperity, arbitrarily detains dissidents, and holds political prisoners in inhumane conditions.”
  • “Violence and intimidation against dissidents occur with impunity, while families of political prisoners face retaliation for their advocacy,”
  • “The regime harasses worshippers, blocks free association by civil society organizations, and denies free speech, including through limited internet access and the absence of a free press.”
  • “The Cuban government harbors fugitives of American justice and fails to meet the basic requirements of a free and just society.”

“Holding the Cuban Regime Accountable:

“President Trump is continuing efforts from his first term to stand with the Cuban people and hold the regime accountable.”

  • “In his first term, President Trump implemented a robust policy towards Cuba, reversing the Obama Administration’s one-sided deal that eased restrictions without securing meaningful reforms for the Cuban people.”
  • “Now, President Trump is once again implementing a firm policy stance.
  • “President Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise: “As president, I will again stand with the people of Cuba in their long quest for justice, liberty and freedom.”
  • “President Trump also recently implemented a new travel ban that applies to Cuba.’”
  • “It lists Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and cites its failure to cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States, its historical refusal to accept back its removable nationals, and its high visa overstay rate.”

Public Commentary on these Measures[2]

Matthew Lee of the Associated Press noted that these changes were not surprising except for its call for the U.S. to find “ways to shut down all tourism to the island and to restrict educational tours to groups that are organized only by American citizens.”

The Trump administration also has made Cuba one of seven countries facing  heightened restrictions on visitors and revoked temporary legal protections for about 300,000 Cubans, which had protected them from deportation. The administration also has announced visa restrictions on Cuban and foreign government officials involved in Cuba’s medical missions, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called ‘forced labor.’”

Lee quoted Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez as saying these U.S. measures “strengthens the aggression & economic blockade that punishes the whole Cuban people and is the main obstacle to our development. It’s a criminal behavior that violates the #Human rights of an entire nation.”

Lee also stated that Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio recently had said that the U.S. was “trying to discredit [Cuban] medical missions” and had “criticized reversal of policy of [U.S.] policy welcoming Cubans to the U.S.”

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[1] Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens the Policy of the United States Toward Cuba, White House (June 30, 2025).  National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-5, White House (June 30, 2025);

[2] Lee (AP), Trump moves to toughen US policy on Cuba, Wash. Post (June 30, 2025).

U.S. Condemns Cuban Harassment of Its Citizens

Starting April 1, Cuban police have been harassing Jose Daniel Ferrer, a prominent opposition leader, at the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) along with ordinary Cubans gathered there to obtain free food, which the police seized. Nevertheless, that day the organization fed 1,281 people, more than 40 of whom were victims of arrests and harassment.[1]

On April 2, the U.S. State Department on its social media channels reacted to this situation by saying, “Outraged by the Cuban police’s harassment of citizens receiving food and basic necessities from José Daniel Ferrer. We support José Daniel as he provides vital aid to the people of Santiago de Cuba. The Cuban regime must focus on caring for its people, not repressing them: those responsible will be held accountable.”

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[1] Second day of siege and arrests around the UNPACU headquarters, Diario de Cuba (April 2, 2025).

 

Reflections on Cuba’s Independence from Spain  

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Jose Maria Aznar wrote that “Cuba wasn’t a mere colony, but part of Spain’s territory.”[1]

On the other hand, Professor Carlos Boix of Princeton University points out that a young Winston Churchill in 1895 “briefly joined the Spanish army fighting Cuban pro-independence guerrillas. In his first dispatch from the island, he wrote: “The insurgents gain adherence continually. There is no doubt that they possess the sympathy of the entire population.” Then, later, in his autobiographical book, My Early Life, he noted that Spaniards “felt about Cuba, it seemed, just as we felt about Ireland,” adding that “I thought it rather cheek that these foreigners should have just the same views and use the same sort of language about their country and their colonies as if they were British.”[2]

And Michal Bezek in a letter adds,“Mr. Aznar fails to reflect on how colonial misrule cost Spain the possession of Cuba. The Spanish may have considered Cubans to be an integral part of their country, but the Cubans certainly didn’t seem to think so. They fought against their colonial masters in the brutal Ten Years’ War (1868-78) and rose up in rebellion again in 1895.”[3]

“It was the constant flood of news about the brutal tactics of Valeriano Weyler—the colonial governor of Cuba, nicknamed “the Butcher,” who depopulated large swathes of the island and put inhabitants in concentration camps—that turned many Americans against Spain and convinced them that something had to be done about the festering sore 90 miles off our southern coastline.”

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[1] Aznar, McKinley, TR and Trump, A Spaniard Reflects, W.S.J. (Mar. 15, 2025).

[2] Letter by Professor Carlos Boix, Id.

[3] Letter by Michael Bezek, Id.  Bezek might be the Analytics Director at Health Catalyst in Colorado Springs.

Cuba Suffers Another Total Collapse of Its Electrical System

On March 14th Cuba suffered a total collapse of its electrical system, leaving the island completely in the dark.

“At 10:00 PM Cuban time, Vicente de la O Levy, Minister of Energy and Mines, reported that micro-energy systems were already operating in Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Las Tunas, Ciego de Ávila, Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Artemisa, and Pinar del Río, the first step toward restoring service and getting the thermoelectric plants up and running.”

“Cuba’s electricity crisis continues unabated, given the growing deterioration of the 20 thermoelectric power plants in operation, as well as the alleged shortage of fuel for distributed generation (electric motors) and the two trucks owned by the Turkish firm Karadeniz Holding that remain operating on the island.”

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Cuba suffers the fourth total collapse of its electrical system in less than half a year, Diario de Cuba (Mar. 15, 2025),

 

 

Reason for Diario de Cuba’s Plea for Reader Financial Contributions 

President Trump recently ordered the pausing of foreign aid and the cancelation of the U.S.Agency for International Development.

That is the reason why two independent sources of Cuban news– Cubanet based in Miami and Diario de Cuba based in Madrid, Spain–recently have launched campaigns soliciting financial contributions from their readers.

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Torres, How U.S. freeze on international aid threatens survival of Cuba’s independent journalists, Miami Herald (Feb. 28, 2025).

 

Cuban Speech to Friends of U.N. Charter 

On February 25, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Parrilla gave the following speech at a meeting in New York City of the Group of Friends of the U.N. Charter.[1]

“In the current international juncture, it is necessary to reflect on the United Nations Organization that we have built and which celebrates this year its eightieth anniversary.

The aspiration to maintain peace, the purpose that guided the creation of the organization, remains a challenge. Tensions are rising, threats to international security are increasing and there are attempts to impose new forms of domination.”

“While trillions of dollars continue to be squandered in the arms race, fewer and fewer resources are allocated to the hundreds of millions of people who are victims of hunger and poverty, making it increasingly difficult to close the growing gap in wealth distribution.”

“Multilateralism is progressively weakening and the role of international organizations is being ignored. They are being threatened with conditioning and funding cuts.

“The current US administration has shown its contempt for the multilateral system and its institutions.  Its shameful withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the World Health Organization, the Human Rights Council and the suspension of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) are recent examples of this behavior.”

“By supporting the Palestinian genocide against the Palestinian people, the US government confirms its support to the philosophy of war and the doctrine of dispossession. Its plans to occupy Gaza and displace its population represent an escalation of ethnic cleansing, in flagrant violation of International Law.”

“The inaction of the Security Council in the face of these events damages the credibility of the UN.”

“I would like to propose that the Group of Friends of the Charter intervene at the upcoming Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to denounce the flagrant violations of International Humanitarian Law committed by the Occupying Power in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

“With the plans of domination announced by the new administration towards our region, the United States intends to launch a new imperialist offensive against the peoples of Our America, anchored in the archaic and interventionist Monroe Doctrine.”

“As part of this policy, we reject the decision, announced on January 20, to include Cuba again in the arbitrary and unilateral List of State Sponsor of Terrorism, a few days after the previous administration decided otherwise. Such a measure confirms the discredit of the aforementioned list; ignores the consistent demand of international voices, including this Group of Friends, and seeks to further tighten the impacts of the blockade against Cuba.”

“We invite the members of the Group of Friends to continue denouncing the new and dangerous imperialist attack against our region.”

“I would like to conclude by acknowledging Venezuela whose effective coordination has guided our works since its foundation. We also welcome the possibility of incorporating new members to the Group.”

“We support the work plan outlined for this year.”

“Cuba will continue to defend, firmly and consistently, the Charter of the United Nations and International Law, and will remain committed to the principles of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.”

The Group of Friends[2]

The Group “was launched on 06 July 2021, in New York [City], and, to date, it is composed of 18 Member States: Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali, Nicaragua, the State of Palestine, the Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Angola and Cambodia were founding members of the Group of Friends.”

The Group members “agree that the Charter of the United Nations is both a milestone and a true act of faith that for the past 78 years has filled the entire international community with hope on the best of humanity and brings it together to ensure the common well-being of present and future generations. They consider that the purposes and principles enshrined therein are indispensable for preserving and promoting, among others, international peace and security, the rule of law, economic development and social progress, and all human rights for all, in an ever increasingly connected world.”

The members also ‘consider that multilateralism, which is at the core of the Charter, is currently under an unprecedented attack, which, in turn, threatens global peace and security. Nowadays, the world is seeing a growing resort to unilateralism, marked by isolationist and arbitrary actions, including the imposition of unilateral coercive measures or the withdrawal from landmark agreements and multilateral institutions, as well as by attempts to undermine critical efforts to tackle common and global challenges.”

“In addition, they believe that the international community is currently struggling with both the continued attempts to disown the diversity of our world and the very basic principles of international relations, and with the systematic violations to the norms of international law and the tenets of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular to the detriment of developing countries, by certain powers that seem to claim a non-existent “exceptionalism” that disregards, for instance, the principle of sovereign equality of States, in an attempt to establish a so-called “rules-based order” with norms that remain unknown and have not been necessarily agreed upon by States, as is the case with the set of norms and principles contained in the UN Charter, and which are the basis for modern-day international law.”

The Group has adopted the following set of its objectives:

“1. The Group of Friends, as part of the common quest of its Member States for making further progress towards achieving full respect for international law, shall strive to preserve, promote and defend the prevalence and validity of the UN Charter, which, in the current international juncture, has a renewed and even more important value and relevance.”

“2. The Group of Friends shall strive to ensure full, permanent and effective – and not selectively or conveniently – fulfillment of obligations under the UN Charter and compliance with its letter and spirit, conscious of the fact that this is the legal instrument with the greatest scope and legitimacy in the world, which has prevented and shall continue to prevent humankind from suffering once again the horrors and untold sorrow of the scourge of war.”

“3. The Group of Friends shall serve as a platform for, among others, promoting the prevalence of legality over force and for discussing, articulating possible means and coordinating joint initiatives for fostering respect for the principles of sovereignty, equality of States, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, peaceful settlement of disputes, and refraining from the use or threat of use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, as enshrined in the UN Charter, as well as for the values of dialogue, tolerance and solidarity, mindful of the fact that these are all at the core of international relations and necessary for peaceful coexistence among nations.”

Cuban Reactions to the Cuban Foreign Minister’s Speech [3]

Diario de Cuba reported the following negative comments about the above speech from other Cubans:

  • Maritza Camero: “Creativity is non-existent and it is not worthy that resistance should be only from the people. Leaders should be the first examples of resistanceand if they look closely they will realize that they are not.”
  • Mara Piedras Velarde: ” It is easy to ask for resistance when you live with all the comforts” and Jorge Vega Ramos added: “What nerve! While they kill the majority of the people in life, they talk about resistance , and they live better than the millionaires.”
  • Luis Hernández Batista: ” Hypocrites are what they are. With their bellies full, they ask for resistance from a people in total miserydue to their ineptitude.”
  • Elizabeth Godínez: “From his comfort zone, not knowing what 23-hour blackouts are like and having all his needs covered, anyone can speak up and stand firm. In this country, people don’t lead by example, that’s why we are where we are. Oh, and when it’s his week in a hotel in Varadero, he (Bruno) will go there like Juan who kills himself, maintaining his selfless firmness.”
  • Fara Martha González Fernández: “What an absurd phrase, creative resistance! What would be the creative part? Seeing how we fade away in a more beautiful way?Or how do we make art with the hunger and misery we are experiencing? They are specialists in creating absurd concepts and empty discourses.”
  • Gonzalez Monyk: “I agree with being sovereign, but we have not had social justice for a long time, and resisting is becoming more difficult because many families do not have even the most basic things. Instead of talking about resistance, they should talk about changes, listening to the youngest, accepting ideas, changes to really get out of this dark and gloomy hole where we are, and do not talk to me about a blockade that has always been there and we have never been as bad as we are now.”
  • Jose Martinez: “What right is he talking about and what social justice, if they have just opened dollar stores that the people neither have nor are they paid for. The people resist because they have no right to protest against the blackouts of more than 20 hours and the misery and hunger in Cuba.

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[1] Statement by Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs at Group of Friends of the Charter of the United Nations, Feb. 25, 2025.

[2] About the Group of Friends of the Charter of the United Nations.

[3]The regime hammers at the UN with ‘creative reistance’ and Cubans are outraged: ‘they should talk about changes,’ Diario de Cuba (Feb. 26, 2025).

Cuban Population Loses More than 300,000 in 2024

Cuba’s  National Office of Statistics and Information has reported that Cuba’s population on December 31, 2024, was 9,748,532.

More thatn a quarter were 60 years or older.

New births were only 71,000, the lowest number in recent decades. This confirmed that women of childbearing age in Cuba are postponing or choosing not to become mothers.

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Cuba will lose more than 300,000 inhabitants in 2024, according to official figures, Diario de Cuba (Feb. 21, 2025).

 

Marco Rubio Proposes  America First Foreign Policy

In the Wall Street Journal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed what he calls an “Americas First  Foreign Policy.” [1]

“When Donald Trump won his sweeping victory in November, he received a mandate to put America first. In the realm of diplomacy, this means paying closer attention to our own neighborhood—the Western Hemisphere.”

“It’s no accident that my first trip abroad as secretary of state, to Central America on Friday, will keep me in the hemisphere. This is rare among secretaries of state over the past century. For many reasons, U.S. foreign policy has long focused on other regions while overlooking our own. As a result, we’ve let problems fester, missed opportunities and neglected partners. That ends now.”

“President Trump’s foreign-policy agenda begins close to home. Among his top priorities is securing our borders and reversing the disastrous invasion abetted by the last administration. Diplomacy’s role in this effort is central. We need to work with countries of origin to halt and deter further migrant flows, and to accept the return of their citizens present in the U.S. illegally.”

“Some countries are cooperating with us enthusiastically—others, less so. The former will be rewarded. As for the latter, Mr. Trump has already shown that he is more than willing to use America’s considerable leverage to protect our interests. Just ask Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro.”

“Yet even when circumstances demand toughness, the president’s vision for the hemisphere remains positive. We see a prosperous region rife with opportunities. We can strengthen trade ties, create partnerships to control migration, and enhance our hemisphere’s security.”

“El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic—the countries I will visit on this trip—all stand to benefit tremendously from greater cooperation with the U.S. These nations were neglected by past administrations that prioritized the global over the local and pursued policies that accelerated China’s economic development, often at our neighbors’ expense.”

“We can reverse this. Covid exposed the fragility of America’s dependence on far-flung supply chains. Relocating our critical supply chains to the Western Hemisphere would clear a path for our neighbors’ economic growth and safeguard Americans’ own economic security.”

“Closer relationships with the U.S. lead to more jobs and higher growth in these countries. This reduces incentives for emigration from these countries while providing governments with revenue to fight crime and invest at home. As our regional partners build themselves up, they can more easily resist countries such as China that promise much but deliver little.”

“Mass migration has destabilized our entire region. Drug cartels—now correctly categorized, thanks to the president, as foreign terrorist organizations—are taking over our communities, sowing violence and poisoning our families with fentanyl. Illegitimate regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela are intentionally amplifying the chaos. All the while, the Chinese Communist Party uses diplomatic and economic leverage—such as at the Panama Canal—to oppose the U.S. and turn sovereign nations into vassal states.”

I am confident that the countries I will soon visit will be ready partners. Like President Trump, their leaders are pragmatists who put their citizens first. And because they are pragmatists, they also know that there is much more to be gained from working with the U.S. than not.

“This is an approach to foreign policy based on concrete shared interests, not vague platitudes or utopian ideologies. It is representative of the approach the State Department will be taking to all its international dealings. We will extend our hand to all nations of goodwill, in the confident expectation that they will recognize what we can do together.”

“Thankfully, the Western Hemisphere harbors more congruent interests than conflicting ones. Making America great again also means helping our neighbors achieve greatness. The threats Mr. Trump was elected to stop are threats to the nations of our hemisphere as well.”

“We share a common home. The safer, stronger and more prosperous that home becomes, the more all our nations stand to benefit. Together, there are few limits to what we can accomplish.”

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[1] Rubio, An Americas First Foreign Policy, W.S.J. (Jan. 30, 2025)