On the political repression and humanitarian situation in Cuba

B100290/2026

European Parliament resolution on the political repression and humanitarian situation in Cuba

(2026/2735(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Cuba,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the island of Cuba currently suffers from a systemic lack of fuel, electricity, water, food and medicines; whereas the island is facing a severe public health crisis driven by an outbreak of arboviral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and oropouche; whereas deaths resulting from these diseases are being falsely attributed by the Cuban regime to underlying conditions such as diabetes, pneumonia or hypertension in order to manipulate data;

B. whereas the EU allocated EUR 50 million in development cooperation to Cuba in the period 2014-2021, and earmarked EUR 125 million for the 2021-2027 period; whereas the purpose of this contribution was partially to reinforce cooperation in biotechnology, health and the fight against infectious diseases; whereas the EU mobilised nearly EUR 6 million for disaster preparedness and emergency response in Cuba in 2025 alone; whereas this has not resulted in an improvement in the public health crisis;

C. whereas Cuba’s communist regime controls the island’s entire kleptocratic economy and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces directly control at least 40 % of the country’s economy through the business mega conglomerate GAESA; whereas, according to the US Department of State, GAESA’s revenues are estimated to be more than three times the budget of the Cuban state, and it is likely that the conglomerate controls up to USD 20 billion in illicit assets;

D. whereas the regime is clearly misusing EU aid cooperation while the Cuban people suffer from hunger and diseases; whereas European taxpayers must never subsidise autocratic and totalitarian regimes;

E. whereas, despite the Cuban people’s dire material circumstances, the regime’s close military cooperation with the EU’s systemic rivals continues unabated; whereas this cooperation has endangered European security; whereas Cuban mercenaries have engaged in acts of sabotage within EU territory, most recently in Lithuania; whereas Cuban mercenaries are also supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;

F. whereas respect for human rights is non-existent in Cuba, with over 1 000 political prisoners being held by the regime as at end-2025; whereas prisoners are systematically denied basic healthcare and their families face state harassment;

G. whereas the EU signed the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) with Cuba in 2016; whereas, 10 years on, it is clear the PDCA has failed completely across all areas; whereas the regime derives undue political legitimacy from the PDCA; whereas Parliament has repeatedly called for its suspension; whereas, despite this, neither the suspension nor the termination clauses have been activated by the Commission;

1. Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, a regime that has tyrannised the island of Cuba for over six decades and is solely responsible for the dire straits in which the Cuban people find themselves, including systemic power shortages, recent electricity blackouts and the current public health crisis;

2. Vehemently demands, once again, the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and an end to the regime’s dictatorship; reiterates its unconditional support for the Cuban people;

3. Reiterates its call on the Commission to immediately activate the suspension clause set out in Article 85(3)(b) of the PDCA; emphasises that a failure to suspend the PDCA implies that the EU is flagrantly and consciously violating a legal clause contained in one of its agreements; calls on the Commission to ensure that no EU assistance to Cuba is channelled through, managed by, or placed under the control of the Cuban authorities or of entities affiliated with them and operating under the guise of humanitarian organisations or civil society groups;

4. Calls on the Council to adopt targeted sanctions against all those in the Cuban regime who are responsible for persistent human rights violations on the island, starting with Miguel Díaz-Canel as the highest-ranking figure in the Cuban security forces’ chain of command, together with other high-ranking officials of the Cuban regime;

5. Requests the inclusion of Cuba’s interior ministry (MININT) on the EU list of terrorist organisations, given its role in systematic human rights violations in Cuba and as a sponsor of terrorism worldwide;

6. Calls on the European Court of Auditors to urgently examine all financial support granted to Cuba since 2016;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the de facto Cuban authorities.