WWP letter to U.N. special rapporteur regarding human rights in Cuba

TO: Special Rapporteur of Unilateral Coercive Measures [Alena Douhan]

FROM: Workers World Party, New York,  U.S.

Re: Visit to Cuba 11-14 November 2025

Date: 5 November 2025

Dear Ms. Douhan:

You have sent out a Call for Input on the “negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights” in Cuba prior to your visit there on 11 November 2025.

Workers World Party is a political party in the United States founded in 1959. Since that time, representatives of the Party have traveled to Cuba as part of delegations of labor unions, educators, health care professionals and political organizations. Our members have visited schools, universities, hospitals, medical clinics, factories, community organizations and cultural institutions across the island, giving us first-hand knowledge of the negative impact that the unilateral coercive economic and financial sanctions — also known as the blockade — imposed on Cuba by the United States – have had and continue to have on the human rights of the Cuban people.

We hope that this response to your call for input contributes to your conclusions and recommendations to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

1. What specific human rights are affected by unilateral coercive measures against Cuba?

Based on our observations during our visits to Cuba, the rights of the Cuban people to HEALTH CARE, FOOD and NUTRITION and the RIGHT to TRAVEL have been severely impacted by the sanctions imposed by the United States.

With respect to health care, during our recent visits in 2022, 2023 and 2024, because the sanctions prevent Cuba from purchasing medicines, drugs, medical supplies and medical equipment from the United States, we have observed a lack of these necessities in hospitals, clinics and pharmacies throughout the island. The unilateral sanctions even prevent other countries from selling these medical necessities to Cuba by imposing penalties on third countries if they sell needed medicines and supplies to Cuba.

Similarly, the sanctions prevent Cuba from purchasing needed food items from the U.S., and where exceptions might be made, the cost is excessive, which forces Cuba to purchase food from third countries much, much further away, adding to the cost of shipping food to the island.

We have observed empty shelves in many grocery stores and long lines where adequate food supplies could be made available, which clearly have a negative impact on the Cuban people in their need for adequate food and nutrition.

With respect to the right to travel, the unilateral sanctions severely restrict the right of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba. We have often had to travel to Cuba via third countries, adding to the cost and time of travel. 

The travel restrictions have affected the Cuban tourism industry, thereby harming the Cuban economy and Cuban workers. They have also restricted family and friends living outside of Cuba from visiting their loved ones.

2. What types of sanctions have the most negative impact on the enjoyment of human rights? 

The total embargo of trade with not only the U.S., but with third countries as well is the most severe sanction imposed by the U.S. against any country and negatively affects the enjoyment of every human right of the Cuban people.

In addition, the financial restrictions, which prevent Cuba from participating in the world banking system, make it nearly impossible for Cuba to be an equal trading partner in the world economy by denying credit on purchases, etc. This also severely impacts the full enjoyment of human rights in Cuba.

3. What categories of population are affected the most by the unilateral sanctions? 

We have observed that the entire population is negatively affected by the sanctions, since the sanctions block Cuba from purchasing and trading for essential products and supplies needed to provide for the population. However, we have seen that the sanctions most negatively affect children and the elderly, particularly with respect to health care.

The difficulty in securing needed medicines and medical equipment has caused unnecessary suffering among the children and the elderly because of the lack of these essential items.

4. Licenses for goods and services

Our organization does not have exemption licenses for goods and services, which we understand are extremely limited so as to allow the smallest amount of goods and services into Cuba, which by themselves cannot meet the basic needs of the people. When we (and others) travel to Cuba, each individual traveler brings only what he or she can carry in the form of medical supplies, school supplies and other aid.

5. Effect of list of state sponsors of terrorism

Because it is on the list of “state sponsors of terrorism,” Cuba is barred from the world banking system, making it extremely difficult (and sometimes impossible) to purchase food, medicines and equipment on the world market. Many countries will not trade with Cuba out of fear that if they do so they will not be able to trade with the U.S. As stated above, this prevents Cuba from obtaining credit in the world market, thereby forcing Cuba to make purchases in cash.

Again, we see in our visits the effects of these sanctions in the lack of medicines and drugs in the pharmacies, the lack of working equipment in hospitals and clinics and the lack of food in grocery stores.

6. Humanitarian aid

The delivery of humanitarian aid is also severely limited due to the sanctions. For example, due to a shortage of pacemakers in Cuba, our organization, along with other organizations in the U.S., contributed to a fund to purchase pacemakers for Cuba. Because they could not be purchased in the U.S. due to the unilateral sanctions, they had to be purchased in Europe at twice the cost and additional shipping costs. Had there been no sanctions, twice as many pacemakers could have been purchased and delivered to Cuba. This modest donation was not nearly enough to satisfy the needs of the Cuban health care system.

7. Vulnerable populations

We have seen how vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities and the elderly, have suffered due to lack of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers, because under the sanctions, they cannot be purchased from the U.S. and many third countries.

8. Right to health care

This has been discussed at length above.

9. Energy sector

The unilateral sanctions prevent Cuba from purchasing oil from the U.S., which adversely affects life in Cuba. The electrical grid has been affected by the inability of Cuba to obtain oil and replacement parts for the aging infrastructure. We have seen regular blackouts while in Cuba. Our travel around the island (as well as the Cuban people’s travel) has been limited due to fuel shortages. Getting to work, to school or to a hospital has been affected, making everyday life more difficult, all due to unilateral sanctions.

10. Education and research

The unilateral sanctions restrict Cuban scientists from interacting with scientists from the U.S. and their ability to work jointly on projects that could advance the health and well being of the people of Cuba and the U.S. In addition, the inability of Cuba to purchase U.S. technology hinders Cuba’s ability to share in the world’s technological advancements. We in the U.S. have had to raise funds to purchase computers, printers and other technological equipment to donate to Cuba.

11. Employment

As discussed above, fuel shortages caused by the unilateral sanctions make getting to and from work a challenge.

12. Measures taken by the Cuban government

To try to mitigate the effects of the unilateral sanctions, the Cuban government has broadened its trading partners by reaching out to other countries in Latin America, Asia and other parts of the world willing to defy the U.S. sanctions. The government has also encouraged the growth of small businesses. It has also instituted food rationing to ensure that every citizen is fed.

13. Business and labor

We have observed more small businesses throughout the country, which have helped Cubans supplement their income. These businesses are subject to the Cuban labor laws so that their workers are protected in terms of safety and working conditions. But of course, shortages caused by the sanctions affect every business, both private and state-run.

14. Zero-risk policies and over-compliance

We have observed that many foreign banks do not want to risk sanctions or penalties from the U.S. by doing business with Cuba, even where some transactions are permitted. This means that Cubans must transact most business in cash, because their ability to use credit cards or obtain credit is very limited.

15. Migration

We have observed that due to the shortages caused by the unilateral sanctions, many Cubans have felt the necessity to migrate, even if they would have preferred not to. This has resulted in the loss of needed skilled and educated workers, which adversely affects the economy.

16.  Sanctions deny people outside Cuba essential medicine

Despite the shortages caused by the unilateral sanctions, Cuba’s biotech sector has been able to develop certain drugs which have been successful in the treatment of diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. These drugs and treatments could be shared with the world if the unilateral sanctions were lifted. 

The sanctions therefore affect the rights of those outside Cuba, particularly those in the U.S., from taking advantage of these drugs and treatments, thereby negatively affecting the human right to health care even to those outside Cuba.

In addition, the sanctions negatively affect the right of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba to meet with the Cuban people, learn about Cuban culture and society and to visit friends and family.

17. Individuals and organizations to meet with

We would encourage the Special Rapporteur to meet with as many Cuban organizations as possible in order to see the full effect of the universal sanctions on the people of Cuba. Organizations that represent the vast majority of the Cuban population, such as the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), the local Committees to Defend the Revolution (CDR) and the Workers Central Union of Cuba (CTC), we believe would be especially instructive.

As we do when we visit Cuba, we would encourage visits to medical clinics, hospitals, schools, universities and cultural institutions where you can speak with individual Cubans about how the sanctions have negatively affected their lives, which will confirm how the entire population is affected by the unilateral sanctions.

In summary, on behalf of Workers World Party, from our long experience traveling to and around Cuba, meeting Cuban officials and people and seeing firsthand the conditions there, we are confident that your visit will confirm that the unilateral sanctions imposed on Cuba by the government of the United States have caused great suffering and harm to the population, thereby negatively affecting the human rights of the Cuban people.

We respectfully urge you to recommend that the universal coercive measures against Cuba be removed immediately so that the human rights of the Cuban people can be achieved and sustained to the fullest.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Workers World Party

By: William Sacks