Videos from Cuban Legal Experts and Open Letter to the Permanent Missions to the United Nations Against the Blockade on Cuba

Watch the Videos/Ver los videos | Read the Open Letter | Sign the Open Letter / Firmar la Carta Abierta  | Leer la Carta Abierta | View all Signatories / Ver los firmantes

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers is participating in the International Week of Action Against U.S. Genocide in Cuba from 24-31 October 2026, surrounding the annual vote at the United Nations — this year scheduled for 28 October — when the world condemns the ongoing U.S. blockade of Cuba. This year, the situation is perhaps more urgent than ever.

In January 2026, the United States imposed a total energy blockade on Cuba and threatened any country that supplied the island with oil. Nine months later, doctors are performing surgery by cellphone light, neonatal incubators are failing during blackouts, and over 100,000 patients are waiting for surgery, 12,000 of them children. More than 70 people are dying of cancer every day. Infant mortality has risen 148% since 2018. Three hundred of Cuba’s 395 essential medicines are in shortage. Meanwhile, the U.S. routinely threatens to invade Cuba and makes no secret of its goal in achieving regime change.

As part of the Week of Action, the IADL, together with four other ECOSOC recognized organizations and supported by dozens more, has called on all Permanent Missions to the United Nations to take a stand against the blockade. We are also issuing three new videos from leading Cuban lawyers and jurists, and longtime solidarity movement leaders, explaining exactly why the blockade is illegal, for use and sharing around the world.

Watch the videos: 

1. José Alexis Ginarte Gato — President, National Association of Jurists (Cuba)

2. Juan Andrés Celestrín Acosta — International Law Specialist, Directorate of International Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX)

3. Dr. Rosemari Mealy – National Lawyers Guild, National Conference of Black Lawyers, IFCO, longtime Cuba solidarity organizer, author and professor

Open Letter to Permanent Missions of the United Nations (EN)

Excellencies,

Ahead of the forthcoming vote in the General Assembly on the resolution concerning the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, the undersigned organizations wish to express their appreciation to the States that have supported this demand year after year.

That support has conveyed a clear message. Nevertheless, the blockade continues to obstruct economic relations and international cooperation with Cuba, with serious consequences for the fundamental rights and living conditions of the Cuban population. The adverse effects of the blockade are exacerbated by the extraterritorial application of U.S. coercive measures and the continuing threats of retaliation by the Trump Administration, which create a climate of fear and uncertainty among banks, companies and other entities and lead to overcompliance.

The annual vote is a clear stand in defence of international law and an important expression of solidarity. But that support must also be translated into concrete action that effectively contributes to ending the blockade.

We therefore call upon your Governments not only to support the resolution once again, but also to:

• publicly reaffirm their opposition to the blockade and, in particular, to its extraterritorial reach;
• provide clear guidance to the authorities, banks, companies and organizations in their countries to prevent overcompliance and ensure that trade, cooperation and humanitarian assistance involving Cuba are not disrupted by fear of retaliation from the Trump Administration;
• use and strengthen existing national or regional legal mechanisms designed to protect such activities from extraterritorial pressure, and put such mechanisms in place where they do not yet exist;
• document and publicly denounce cases in which the blockade prevents transfers, supplies or cooperation projects, particularly when basic needs are affected.

For as long as the blockade remains in place, we urge all Member States to supply Cuba without delay with oil, other fuels, medicines, food and essential goods, and to ensure the means of payment and transportation necessary for these supplies to reach the island. We also call upon them to expand their trade and cooperation with Cuba without being deterred by the unlawful pressure exerted by the U.S. Administration.

We trust that your Governments will act with the determination this situation demands.

Sign on to the Letter:

Carta abierta a las misiones permanentes ante las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York (ES)

Excelentísimas señoras y señores representantes:

Ante la próxima votación de la Asamblea General sobre la resolución relativa a la necesidad de poner fin al bloqueo económico, comercial y financiero impuesto por Estados Unidos contra Cuba, las organizaciones abajo firmantes expresan su reconocimiento a los Estados que, año tras año, han apoyado esta demanda.

Ese respaldo ha transmitido un mensaje claro. Sin embargo, el bloqueo sigue obstaculizando las relaciones económicas y la cooperación internacional con Cuba, con graves consecuencias para los derechos fundamentales y las condiciones de vida de la población cubana. Los efectos negativos del bloqueo se ven agravados por la aplicación extraterritorial de las medidas coercitivas estadounidenses y las continuas amenazas de represalias por parte de la Administración Trump, que generan un clima de temor e incertidumbre entre bancos, empresas y otras entidades y conducen a prácticas de sobrecumplimiento.

La votación anual es una clara toma de posición en defensa del derecho internacional y una importante expresión de solidaridad. Sin embargo, ese apoyo debe traducirse en acciones concretas que contribuyan efectivamente a poner fin al bloqueo.

Por ello, invitamos a sus gobiernos no solo a apoyar nuevamente la resolución, sino también a:

• reafirmar públicamente su oposición al bloqueo y, en particular, a su alcance extraterritorial;
• ofrecer orientaciones claras a las autoridades, bancos, empresas y organizaciones de sus países para prevenir prácticas de sobrecumplimiento y evitar que el comercio, la cooperación y la asistencia humanitaria con Cuba se vean interrumpidos por temor a represalias de la Administración Trump;
• utilizar y fortalecer los mecanismos jurídicos nacionales o regionales existentes destinados a proteger esas actividades frente a presiones extraterritoriales, y establecer tales mecanismos donde aún no existan;
• documentar y denunciar públicamente los casos en que el bloqueo impida transferencias, suministros o proyectos de cooperación, especialmente cuando afecten necesidades básicas.

Mientras persista el bloqueo, urgimos a todos los Estados Miembros a suministrar sin demora a Cuba petróleo, otros combustibles, medicamentos, alimentos y bienes esenciales, y a garantizar los medios de pago y transporte necesarios para que esos suministros lleguen a la isla. Los exhortamos asimismo a ampliar sus relaciones comerciales y de cooperación con Cuba, sin dejarse intimidar por las presiones ilegales ejercidas por la Administración estadounidense.

Confiamos en que sus gobiernos actuarán con la determinación que esta situación exige.

Co-sponsoring Organisations with Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) / Organizaciones copatrocinadoras con estatus consultivo ante el Consejo Económico y Social de las Naciones Unidas (ECOSOC)

• International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)
• African Bar Association (AFBA)
• American Association of Jurists (AAJ)
• Europe – Third World Centre (CETIM)
• Unión Nacional de Juristas de Cuba (UNJC)

Other Signatory Organisations / Otras organizaciones firmantes

• Anti-Imperialist Action Stockholm
• Arab Lawyers Association (United Kingdom)
• Asociación Latinoamericana de Abogados y Abogadas Laboralistas – ALAL
• Asociación Nacional de Abogados Democráticos, A.C. (México)
• Associação Portuguesa de Juristas Democratas (Portugal)
• Behatokia Basque Observatory of Human Rights / Observatorio Vasco de Derechos Humanos (Basque Country)
• Centre d’Analyse des Mouvements Populaires (CAMP)
• Centro di ricerca ed elaborazione per la democrazia – CRED (Italy)
• Democratic Lawyers Association of Bangladesh – DLAB (Bangladesh)
• Droit Solidarité (France)
• Egalité Wardah Boutros
• Global Coalition for Resistance Against U.S. Imperialism
• Global Resistance for Peace and Justice
• House of Latin America – HOLA
• Indian Association of Lawyers (India)
• International Action Center (United States)
• Iran Branch of the International Antifascists
• La Via Campesina (LVC)
• Latin America Solidarity Committee
• National Association of Democratic Lawyers – NADEL (South Africa)
• National Conference of Black Lawyers – NCBL (United States)
• National Lawyers Guild – NLG (United States)
• National Network on Cuba
• National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers – NUPL (Philippines)
• Progressive Lawyers’ Association – CHD (Türkiye)
• Revolutionary Communist Group (Britain)
• Rock Against the Blockade (Britain)
• SISA – Sindacato Indipendente Scuola e Ambiente (Italia)
• Solidarity Iran – SI
• Student Basij of Amirkabir University, Iran
• Workers World Party (United States)
• Youth Union of Turkiye

Sign on to the Letter: