UN Human Rights Chief: US Sanctions Are Killing Children in Cuba

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on June 8, 2026 that US sanctions and the fuel blockade were causing severe, measurable humanitarian harm in Cuba, with children dying due to shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies. OHCHR cited statistics showing infant mortality had nearly doubled to 9.9 per 1,000 live births since fuel restrictions began in early 2026, while childhood cancer survival rates fell from roughly 85% to 65% as hospitals lost access to imported treatments and diagnostic equipment. Türk called on Washington to lift the extraterritorial sanctions tightened alongside the oil blockade, saying the measures were 'directly harming Cubans, especially the most vulnerable.'