New York, May 20, 2026 – Today, at the annual open debate of the United Nations Security Council on civilian protection, Cuba condemned the deep erosion of international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, marked by increased armed conflict, attacks on civilian infrastructure, rising forced displacement, and food insecurity on a global scale.
In his speech, Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, warned of the dangerous tendency to reinterpret international norms to justify indiscriminate attacks, collective punishment, and the use of hunger and blockades as methods of warfare. He denounced the fact that one of the most serious examples of aggression against civilian populations is materializing in Palestine, where Israel, with political, diplomatic, military, and financial support from the United States, continues to commit crimes against humanity, apartheid, and genocide against the Palestinian people.
The Cuban diplomat also condemned the arbitrary detention and torture of members of the Global Sumud Flotilla by the Israeli regime, as well as the attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which have left thousands of civilian victims, including children. He reiterated the call to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations in the Middle East and rejected the repeated Israeli aggressions against Lebanon and other actions that threaten regional stability.
Ambassador Soberón expressed deep concern over the proliferation of conflicts, the increase in military spending, and the imposition of the so-called "peace based on force," while millions of people continue to live in extreme poverty and remain deprived of all essential services. He pointed out that unilateral coercive measures, non-conventional wars, occupation of territories, and the systematic violation of international law aggravate the multidimensional crisis facing humanity.
In this context, he denounced the constant threats from the government of the United States against Cuba, including public statements about the possible use of military force on the island, as well as the extreme reinforcement of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade through an energy siege and the imposition of collateral extraterritorial sanctions. He warned that these measures seek to cause hunger, despair, and an artificial humanitarian crisis to justify new aggressive actions against the Cuban people.
The Permanent Representative flatly rejected the allegations presenting Cuba as a threat to the national security of the United States and recalled that Cuba has never undertaken a single offensive action against that country or any other. He finally reaffirmed Cuba’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism, diplomacy, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, while ratifying the Cuban people’s determination to defend their sovereignty, independence, and the right to live in peace.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.