New York, June 22, 2026. - At the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United Nations, Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, reiterated the resolute and historic support of Cuba of Puerto Rico’s inalienable right to self-determination and independence, and denounced the persistence of the colonial regime imposed by the United States on the sister Caribbean nation.
In his address on the colonial question of Puerto Rico, The Cuban diplomat noted that the current political status of the island continues to deprive its people of the possibility of deciding their future sovereignly and independently facing the economic and social challenges that affect them. He also denounced that the imposition of the so-called Fiscal Oversight Board has deepened colonial subordination and aggravated the economic and social difficulties faced by the Puerto Rican people.
Ambassador Soberón asserted that the so-called Commonwealth was a formula intended to cover up a colonial relationship that, over the years, has been disproved by US institutions themselves. Recalled that Puerto Rico remains subject to the full authority of the United States Congress in essential matters, which confirms the absence of sovereignty and the existence of a colonial situation incompatible with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and resolution 1514 (XV) of the General Assembly.
The Cuban representative stressed that, despite the 43 resolutions and decisions adopted by the Special Committee on Decolonization in favor of the right of the Puerto Rican people to decide freely their destiny, The U.S. government continues to ignore the calls of the international community and obstruct efforts to complete Puerto Rico’s process of decolonization.
The Ambassador also warned about the resurgence of neo-colonial practices and policies of domination that threaten international peace and security. In this context, he denounced the intensification of US hostile policy against Cuba, including economic blockade, energy siege, collective punishment measures and threats of military aggression, which he considered incompatible with the principles of sovereignty, self-determination and no intervention.
Soberón Guzmán concluded by reaffirming Cuba’s unwavering solidarity with the Puerto Rican people and stressed that the issue of Puerto Rico transcends the domestic sphere of the United States and constitutes a matter of legitimate international concern. He also urged the United Nations General Assembly to continue actively considering this issue and to help ensure that the Puerto Rican people can fully exercise their right to self-determination and independence.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations