February 20, 2026 — Belly of the Beast
“Policy goals cannot justify actions that in themselves violate human rights,” said UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Spokesperson Marta Hurtado on February 13.
Three special rapporteurs from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a statement last week that said: “The U.S. executive order imposing a fuel blockade on Cuba is a serious violation of international law and a grave threat to a democratic and equitable international order.”
They added that the Trump administration’s claims that Cuba supports terrorism and represents an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security lack credibility.
Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, questions how Cuba can overcome its current crisis while facing some of the most severe sanctions in the world.
According to Hurtado, decades-long sanctions, recent U.S. measures restricting oil shipments, and extreme weather events are converging into a nationwide emergency. Fuel shortages are disrupting hospitals, intensive care units, vaccine storage, water-pumping systems and food distribution.
More than 80% of Cuba’s water infrastructure depends on electricity, and rolling blackouts are undermining access to clean water, sanitation and basic healthcare.
Hurtado’s remarks highlight a growing concern inside UN institutions about the humanitarian impact of sanctions and the limits they impose on a country’s ability to respond to economic and social emergencies.
