New York; June 5, 2026. - The Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, addressed today the plenary meeting of the General Assembly dedicated to the presentation of the Annual Report of the Security Council for the year 2025, in which he reiterated the urgent need to transform that organ to make it more democratic, representative, transparent and relevant to the realities of today's world.
In his speech, the Cuban diplomat stressed that the report under review reflects an increasingly complex and unstable international context, marked by protracted conflicts, new crises and severe humanitarian emergencies that continue to threaten international peace and security. In this context, he warned that the high number of meetings held by the Council in 2025 cannot obscure the profound limitations in acting effectively, coherently and without selectivity in the face of the most serious crises facing humanity. Ambassador Soberón highlighted that the repeated use of the veto by permanent members, especially the United States, continues to block the adoption of essential decisions and undermine the credibility of the Security Council. In addition, he denounced the absence of a critical analysis of Israel's violations of international law and relevant UN resolutions, as well as the humanitarian consequences of the Council's paralysis in the face of the dramatic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Cuba raised concerns over the persistent practices that limit transparency and the participation of the rest of the UN member states, because of the continued use of closed formats and unofficial mechanisms. In this regard, Soberón insisted on the need to finally adopt the rules of procedure of the Security Council, to issue official records in unofficial consultations, to strengthen accountability before the General Assembly, and to end manipulation of working methods at the expense of political interests. The Cuban representative also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and to upholding multilateralism against growing threats to international peace and security. He rebuked interference in the States’ internal affairs, unilateral coercive measures, expansionist and supremacist doctrines, as well as the use or threat of use of force as instruments of political pressure. In this context, he stated that Cuba faces a total economic war and a real threat of military aggression by the US government—actions that constitute flagrant violations of international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter. He concluded by highlighting that the international community demands an organization able to act with impartiality, accountability, and strict adherence to the Charter, and that the credibility of the United Nations also depends on the Security Council's ability to fulfill