Basseterre, October 21th, 2026
STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF CUBA
End the Blockade. Respect Cuba’s Sovereignty. Let Peace Prevail.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Cuba Friendship Association stands firmly with the people of Cuba at this difficult time. We stand with Cuba because friendship means something. And when times get tough, that is when true friends matter most.
For more than six decades, the United States has maintained an economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba. In recent years, and particularly since January 3, 2026, this policy has become even more aggressive, with measures designed to cut Cuba off from vital supplies, financial resources and opportunities for economic development.
The latest restrictions on fuel supplies are especially alarming. They are making an already difficult situation worse, putting enormous pressure on Cuba’s electricity generation and affecting essential services such as healthcare, drinking water, food and medicine production and their preservation. Those are essential services and human rights that today are denied to Cuban people due to the energy siege.
Let us be clear: when a country is prevented from obtaining the fuel it needs to keep its hospitals running, pump water, transport food and provide basic services to its people, ordinary families are the ones who pay the price. It is the Cuban people, especially the elderly, children and those who need medical care, who bear the heaviest burden.
This is not just about politics. It is about people’s lives.
The United States has also threatened secondary sanctions against countries and companies that maintain economic relations with Cuba, including those involved in shipping, supply chains and the delivery of humanitarian cargo, medicines and essential parts for Cuba’s national electricity system. Such measures extend the reach of US policy beyond its own borders and place other sovereign nations in an unfair position.
Small countries like ours understand the importance of sovereignty. We know what it means to defend our right to make our own decisions and to determine our own future. No nation should be bullied or pressured into acting against its principles or its national interests.
Caribbean countries must be free to make their own choices. Our votes at the United Nations belong to us. It should reflect our convictions, our understanding of international law and our commitment to justice.
The Association is particularly concerned by reports that US officials are pressuring heads of State and governments of several countries to change their positions ahead of the United Nations General Assembly vote on the resolution calling for an end to the blockade against Cuba. As Cuba’s Foreign Minister has publicly denounced, such pressure and alleged attempts at political blackmail undermine the spirit of multilateralism and the right of sovereign states to act independently.
At the United Nations, every country has a voice. Every country has a vote. And every country should be able to use that vote freely.
We are also deeply concerned by threats of possible military aggression against Cuba. The Caribbean has declared itself a Zone of Peace, and that commitment must mean something. We do not need more threats, more hostility or another confrontation in our region. We need dialogue, mutual respect and practical cooperation.
The United States should end the fuel restrictions, lift the blockade, abandon threats of military action and engage Cuba in a respectful dialogue on matters of mutual interest. Cuba’s future must be decided by the Cuban people, free from external interference.
Our Association also rejects the continued inclusion of Cuba on the United States’ unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, a designation that Cuba disputes and that further complicates its access to international financial and commercial transactions.
And let us not forget healthcare.
Cuban medical professionals have made a real difference in Saint Kitts and Nevis. They have helped fill gaps in our healthcare system, served our communities and provided care to people who need it. Their contribution is not an abstract political issue. It is something our people have experienced firsthand.
We know what Cuban healthcare workers have done for our Federation. We know the value of their service and we should not allow political pressure to put this cooperation at risk.
For years, Cuba has shared its knowledge, trained professionals and extended a helping hand to fellow Caribbean nations, often when resources were limited and needs were great. That is what regional solidarity looks like. That is what being a good neighbour means.
Cuba has been there for us. We should not forget that now.
As the United States engages Caribbean governments on security, healthcare, investment and other regional matters, we urge our leaders to stand by the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and mutual respect. Cooperation with the United States and friendship with Cuba are not mutually exclusive. Our region can maintain constructive relations with all partners without abandoning its principles or turning its back on a longstanding friend.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Cuba Friendship Association therefore calls on the Government of the United States to:
- End the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, including measures restricting access to essential fuel supplies.
- Stop imposing or threatening extraterritorial sanctions on countries and companies for engaging in legitimate economic relations with Cuba.
- Remove Cuba from the US unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
- Abandon threats of military aggression and respect Cuba’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Stop pressuring governments to terminate medical cooperation with Cuba.
- Engage the Cuban Government in respectful dialogue, without preconditions that undermine its sovereignty or interfere in its internal affairs.
We also call on the Government of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis to maintain its historic position of support for Cuba at the United Nations, within CARICOM and in other international forums. We encourage our Government to continue standing up for the principles that have long guided Caribbean diplomacy: respect for sovereignty, non-interference, peaceful coexistence and solidarity among nations.
Our relationship with Cuba is more than a diplomatic relationship. It is a relationship between Caribbean neighbours and friends, built over many years through cooperation, education, healthcare and people-to-people ties.
We cannot speak about Caribbean unity while ignoring the difficulties facing one of our own. Nor can we claim to stand for peace and justice if we remain silent when a Caribbean nation faces mounting pressure and economic hardship.
The members and supporters of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Cuba Friendship Association stand with the Cuban people. We stand for their right to live in peace, to develop their country and to determine their own future.
We want peace, not threats. Cooperation, not coercion. Dialogue, not confrontation.
And we want a Caribbean where no country is forced to choose between its principles and its partnerships.
Cuba is our Caribbean neighbour. Its people are our friends and friendship should not disappear when times get hard.
End the blockade against Cuba. Respect its sovereignty. Let the Caribbean remain a Zone of Peace.