Cuba congratulates UN human rights chief on mandate renewal

The Cuban government has congratulated Volker Türk on his reappointment as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The approval by the UN General Assembly for a second term was met with a message of congratulations from Cuba's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez.

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commitment to the promotion and protection of all human rights for all and with the UN mechanisms in the matter, on the basis of non-discrimination, dialogue and cooperation

In his social media post, Rodríguez expressed Cuba's "commitment to the promotion and protection of all human rights for all" and its dedication to UN mechanisms based on non-discrimination, dialogue, and cooperation. This statement comes after Türk previously warned about the detrimental effects of U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

Earlier in June, the UN Human Rights chief had stated that new U.S. sanctions were "causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives." Türk specifically pointed to fuel restrictions and the recent tightening of extraterritorial sanctions as directly impacting Cubans, particularly the most vulnerable. He has repeatedly referred to the U.S. "oil blockade" as a violation of international law.

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are causing widespread harm to the population and putting lives in danger

Türk also noted that these U.S. "coercive measures" hinder the work of humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies, in providing essential aid and assistance to the island. Since January, the U.S. has intensified pressure on Havana for economic and political reforms, including an oil blockade that has significantly worsened the country's existing structural crisis. Recent executive orders from President Donald Trump have expanded sanctions targeting key sectors of the Cuban economy and penalizing any entity doing business with Cuba.

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violation of international law