UN Official: U.S. Sanctions Are Disrupting Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

“If the fuel blockade continues, the humanitarian consequences for Cuba will grow deeper and could become irreversible,” warned Francisco Pichón, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Cuba.

“Infant mortality has doubled. Food prices have risen by 18 percent,” the report opens.

“Francisco, what’s the current situation in Cuba?” asked Liz Oliva, journalist with Belly of the Beast.

“Cuba is currently facing a humanitarian emergency, with severe impacts that have been building up for months,” Pichón explained.

“Certainly, the fuel blockade has worsened the situation. But in reality, this crisis is the result of years of accumulated pressures—hurricanes, droughts, and a deteriorating economic situation in which the country’s economy has contracted by nearly 15 percent.”

“All of this is taking place within a context of sanctions and restrictions on access to international financing.”

“What have you seen on the ground?” Oliva continued.

“What we are witnessing is a progressive deterioration in the lives of millions of Cubans,” Pichón responded.

“People have had to reorganize their daily routines around the few hours when electricity is available.”

“Night has become day. People wake up in the middle of the night to cook, store water, and carry out basic household tasks.”

“The situation has reached a point where it is threatening lives, particularly among the most vulnerable sectors of society.”

“The clearest example is the healthcare sector, which historically has been one of the strongest in Latin America.”

“Today it is under extraordinary pressure.”

“Infant mortality has doubled to 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.”

“Survival rates among children with cancer have fallen from 85 percent to around 65 percent.”

“An estimated 67,000 children are at risk of missing essential vaccinations because of disruptions in transportation and energy supply.”

“Approximately 32,000 pregnant women are facing additional risks because access to prenatal monitoring has become increasingly difficult.”

“We are talking about more than 110,000 elderly cancer patients and millions of Cubans living with chronic illnesses who are struggling to obtain the treatments and medicines they need.”

“It is well known that only about 30 percent of the essential medicines required by the country are currently available.”

“How has the food situation been affected?” Oliva asked.

“Food security has also suffered significant impacts,” Pichón stated.

“There are greater post-harvest losses due to the lack of refrigeration.”

“Food prices have increased by approximately 18 percent.”

“Social protection systems, including school lunch programs and care centers for older adults, have also been affected.”

“The school year itself has been shortened because of these conditions.”

“When you arrived in Cuba, was this already the reality you found?” Oliva asked. “How did the country get to this point?”

“I arrived in Cuba in November 2022,” Pichón recalled.

“But even then, we had never experienced anything this severe.”

“Fuel shipments have virtually stopped arriving. The only significant exception was a Russian tanker that temporarily relieved pressure on the electricity system, but the situation quickly returned to critical levels.”

“This crisis has also been intensified by declining tourism revenues, reduced income from the export of medical services, and impacts on the mining industry.”

“All of this is occurring within the broader context of decades of sanctions and limited access to development financing.”

“What role does the United Nations play in responding to this humanitarian emergency?” Oliva asked.

“The twenty-three UN agencies operating in Cuba work under a cooperation framework agreed upon with the Cuban government,” Pichón explained.

“Our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs describe the current strategy as a ‘hyper-prioritized’ plan.”

“It does not cover every need, but it is designed to reach nearly two million people.”

“To achieve that objective, we require approximately 91 million dollars in funding.”

“So far, roughly one-third of that amount has been mobilized.”

“And despite the challenges, we continue working tirelessly to expand our response.”

“What are the main challenges facing the United Nations as it tries to respond to this crisis?” asked Liz Oliva.

“The most urgent challenge is clearly the fuel shortage,” Francisco Pichón replied.

“The United Nations system itself is being directly affected by the lack of fuel.”

“But more recently, we have also been confronting another set of challenges linked to the impact of executive orders affecting Cuba.”

“The strongest executive order regarding oil restrictions was issued on January 29,” Oliva noted. “Since then, additional measures have been introduced that affect Cuba’s relationships with foreign organizations and corporations, from conducting business on the island to using international banking and credit services.”

“Does that affect the United Nations as well?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Pichón answered.

“We are affected not only by the restrictions themselves but also by what we call over-compliance.”

“What do you mean by over-compliance?” Oliva asked.

“Many private actors, including correspondent banks, logistics providers, shipping companies, and other commercial partners, react to sanctions with excessive caution,” Pichón explained.

“In English, we call it ‘over-compliance.’”

“This creates uncertainty around contracts that have already been signed as well as agreements that are still being negotiated.”

“We are also seeing delays from logistics providers in delivering urgent supplies intended for the country.”

“So, in many cases, people are simply too afraid to establish commitments involving Cuba?” Oliva asked.

“Not only with Cuba,” Pichón clarified. “We are seeing this caution even when dealing with the United Nations system itself.”

“That should not be happening because humanitarian exemptions exist specifically to protect humanitarian actors and humanitarian operations.”

“Do you have concrete examples?” Oliva asked.

“Yes, I do,” he responded.

“There are currently three UN agencies that have reported significant impacts from these restrictions.”

“For example, UNICEF has seven critical humanitarian shipments valued at approximately six hundred and thirty thousand dollars that have been affected by recent logistical restrictions.”

“These are not abstract supplies.”

“We are talking about emergency medical kits, newborn care supplies, and nutritional products for pregnant and breastfeeding women.”

“These items are intended for highly vulnerable populations.”

“Some of those shipments have had to be rerouted through alternative channels that are significantly more expensive.”

“What about the World Health Organization?” Oliva asked.

“The World Health Organization is facing even more sensitive challenges,” Pichón said.

“We are talking about medicines, antibiotics, laboratory reagents, and other medical supplies that require strict preservation conditions.”

“With the reduction or suspension of certain air cargo services, these supplies have had to be transported by sea instead.”

“That inevitably slows down delivery times.”

“And when you are dealing with medicine, delays matter.”

“The consequences are not theoretical. They directly affect the ability to respond to urgent health needs.”

“What about food aid?” Oliva continued.

“The World Food Programme, which co-leads the food security response together with the Food and Agriculture Organization, has informed us that more than 2,900 metric tons of food have already been purchased and contracted but are currently being affected by disruptions in maritime transportation services.”

“Are those disruptions related to shipping companies canceling services?” Oliva asked.

“Yes,” Pichón confirmed.

“Right now, agencies such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and PAHO/WHO are actively renegotiating agreements and searching for alternative routes.”

“In most cases, those alternatives come at a higher cost.”

“But they are doing everything possible to ensure that supplies already purchased and allocated for Cuba arrive as quickly as possible.”

“So these impacts are real?” Oliva asked.

“They are absolutely real,” Pichón emphasized.

“We are documenting these cases and sharing them with our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs so that greater international attention can be brought to the situation.”

“Many people assume that humanitarian goods are automatically protected because humanitarian exemptions exist.”

“But what we are seeing demonstrates that humanitarian assistance can still be disrupted during a humanitarian response.”

“In this particular case, the executive orders have generated an environment in which over-compliance and excessive caution are affecting humanitarian operations.”

“That phenomenon is narrowing humanitarian space.”

“It is making it more difficult for humanitarian actors to do what they are supposed to do: save lives and protect people.”

“This is a reality that should concern everyone,” Pichón continued.

“It should concern humanitarian organizations around the world.”

“It should concern governments that have the capacity to support Cuba.”

“And it should concern anyone who believes that humanitarian assistance must reach people in need.”

“When human lives are at risk, humanitarian action cannot wait.”

“Do you fear that the situation could reach a point where the United Nations is no longer able to do much more?” asked Liz Oliva.

“I don’t believe that will happen in the immediate future,” Francisco Pichón replied.

“We are actively adapting our humanitarian response plan.”

“One of our priorities is investing more heavily in anticipatory action so that we can save lives before emergencies worsen.”

“We want to be better prepared, with essential supplies already positioned inside the country rather than trying to move them at the last minute.”

“Under normal circumstances, how many containers could be moved in a day?” Oliva asked.

“The World Food Programme, which leads the logistics sector of our humanitarian response, has managed to secure approximately 15,000 liters of fuel through private-sector arrangements.”

“That has been extremely important.”

“And we are confident that we will be able to obtain larger volumes moving forward.”

“So there has been some progress?” Oliva asked.

“Yes,” Pichón answered.

“One piece of encouraging news is that we have successfully transported nearly seventy containers from ports using private transportation providers.”

“That has allowed us to begin reducing some of the backlog.”

“At the same time, I want to highlight the role played by the private sector.”

“We have found a remarkable willingness among private actors to cooperate with both the United Nations system and the Cuban government.”

“They understand the urgency of moving humanitarian supplies that are currently sitting in ports and warehouses.”

“Without that cooperation, our work would be significantly more difficult.”

“Still, what we have achieved so far represents only a modest fraction of the capacity that is actually required.”

“The needs remain far greater than the resources currently available.”

“The fuel shortage continues to affect transportation.”

“It continues to affect distribution networks.”

“And it continues to limit our ability to respond as quickly as we would like.”

“But the fact that we are still receiving supplies, still mobilizing containers, and still finding partners willing to collaborate gives us confidence that humanitarian operations can continue.”

“The situation remains extremely difficult,” Pichón concluded, “but we are adapting every day in order to keep assistance moving and ensure that people receive the support they need.”

“The U.S. government initially announced three million dollars in humanitarian aid, followed by another six million dollars,” Liz Oliva noted.

“Later, Washington announced an additional one hundred million dollars in humanitarian assistance.”

“However, that aid was to be delivered through religious organizations such as Caritas.”

“How does the United Nations view that decision?”

“We are aware of the announcement,” Francisco Pichón replied.

“The package includes one hundred million dollars in humanitarian assistance intended to be delivered through the Catholic Church, Caritas, and independent humanitarian organizations.”

“For us, as the United Nations system, any assistance that reaches Cuba through any channel capable of delivering support to vulnerable populations is important.”

“Isn’t one of the basic principles of humanitarian action coordination with local authorities?” Oliva asked.

“I believe all humanitarian actors recognize that coordination on the ground is essential,” Pichón answered.

“That includes the United Nations, international NGOs, and local organizations.”

“Whenever I conduct monitoring visits in affected communities, I see firsthand how important cooperation is.”

“We work alongside nongovernmental organizations, local institutions, and Cuba’s Civil Defense structures.”

“These mechanisms are fundamental for identifying vulnerable populations and ensuring aid reaches the people who need it most.”

“Without those local networks, humanitarian assistance becomes less effective.”

“That cooperation is what allows aid to be distributed in the most direct, efficient, and sensitive manner possible.”

“I ask because one of the arguments frequently made in the United States is that Washington does not want the Cuban government involved in the delivery of humanitarian aid,” Oliva said.

“Can humanitarian organizations cooperate with government institutions and still deliver aid directly to people?”

“Yes,” Pichón responded.

“In fact, that is how humanitarian operations generally function.”

“All of our efforts are designed to complement the national response.”

“From the earliest days of the energy crisis, when disruptions began affecting sectors such as healthcare, the Cuban government launched a contingency plan aimed at protecting essential services.”

“When the United Nations developed and launched its own humanitarian action plan at the end of March, it was conceived as a complement to that national contingency plan.”

“That plan has been updated several times based on the resources available.”

“The United Nations’ contribution is significant, but it remains relatively modest compared with the scale of the response being carried out by the country itself.”

“The government possesses infrastructure, personnel, and logistical capacities that are critical to reaching people across the island.”

“I honestly cannot imagine a situation in which UN agencies could effectively operate without cooperating with government institutions, non-state actors, and nongovernmental organizations.”

“Effective humanitarian action requires cooperation.”

“It requires coordination.”

“And it requires every available actor working together to ensure aid reaches those who need it.”

“That is how humanitarian assistance becomes effective.”

“Of the one hundred and nine million dollars pledged by the United States, reports indicate that only three million have actually reached the ground,” Liz Oliva observed.

“Do you believe the U.S. government is now facing the unintended consequences of its own executive orders and sanctions when it comes to delivering the remaining funds?”

“I think that’s a question you would have to ask them,” Francisco Pichón replied.

“So you don’t know why the rest of the aid has not arrived?” Oliva pressed.

“No,” he answered.

“What I do know is that the first three million dollars have been implemented and have provided important support to the communities where those resources were concentrated.”

“Beyond that, I’m not in a position to explain why the remaining funds have not yet been delivered.”

“We’ve spent this entire conversation discussing humanitarian challenges,” Oliva continued.

“So let me ask a broader question.”

“Do you see the humanitarian crisis in Cuba as the result of internal structural problems, or as a crisis created by external factors?”

Pichón paused before answering.

“This is a very different kind of humanitarian crisis from the ones the United Nations has traditionally confronted.”

“In many emergencies around the world, humanitarian needs are generated by a specific event—a conflict, a natural disaster, a sudden shock.”

“In Cuba, what we are seeing is a situation that continues to evolve.”

“The humanitarian needs are not static.”

“They keep changing and expanding because access to energy remains one of the central factors driving vulnerability across multiple sectors.”

“Limited access to fuel and electricity has a multiplying effect.”

“It impacts healthcare.”

“It affects food security.”

“It affects transportation.”

“It affects water systems.”

“It affects education.”

“And as those pressures accumulate, humanitarian needs continue to grow.”

“In that sense, this is a very different crisis from many others the United Nations has responded to.”

“Do you still have hope for Cuba’s future?” Oliva asked.

“We always remain hopeful,” Pichón responded with a smile.

“We need hope at the beginning of every day because hope is what allows us to continue giving our best efforts and searching for solutions.”

“Despite all the difficulties, there are reasons for optimism.”

“So far, under extremely challenging conditions, we have managed to reach close to one million people through humanitarian assistance.”

“That achievement demonstrates that even in a very difficult environment, progress is possible.”

“It shows that solutions can still be found.”

“And it gives us confidence that we can continue expanding our efforts and responding to humanitarian needs on a larger scale.”

“There is still a great deal of work ahead of us.”

“But every family reached, every shipment delivered, every child vaccinated, and every vulnerable person supported reminds us why this work matters.”

“That is what gives us hope.”

“And that is what allows us to keep moving forward.”