José Daniel Ferrer, former political prisoner from Cuba and founder of the civil rights movement Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), reports via video at the 54th annual meeting of the IGFM in April 2026 about the human rights situation in Cuba and the Cuban people’s aspiration for freedom.José Daniel Ferrer, former political prisoner from Cuba and founder of the civil rights movement Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), reports via video at the 54th annual meeting of the IGFM in April 2026 about the human rights situation in Cuba and the Cuban people’s aspiration for freedom.

“A democratic transition in Cuba is not only necessary—it is urgent.”

Bonn, April 11, 2026

Respected members of the International Society for Human Rights (IGFM), ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to speak to you today at the 54th Annual Conference of the IGFM.

Germany is a nation that has shown throughout its history that even the deepest crises can be overcome when a people chooses freedom and human dignity.

Today, I stand before you to speak about Cuba—a country going through the gravest crisis in its recent history. It is a crisis that is not merely economic in nature, but structural, systemic, and deeply human. It is a crisis rooted fundamentally in the disregard for basic human rights.

In Cuba, civil and political rights are severely restricted. Freedom of expression is punished; freedom of the press does not exist; freedom of association outside of state control is entirely prohibited; and freedom of assembly and demonstration is systematically suppressed.

People who think differently, who dare to denounce injustices, are persecuted, arrested, and in many cases imprisoned.The number of politically motivated convictions has increased, backed by vague criminal charges such as “propaganda against the constitutional order” or “contempt,” which are used to silence citizens whose only “offense” is exercising their inalienable rights.Currently, there are more than 1,200 people imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba. They survive under inhumane, almost infernal conditions. Since 2020, about a dozen political prisoners have died. Several youths have been imprisoned simply for participating in anti-government protests. In the last 30 days alone, more than 40 individuals have been arrested and detained.

The Cuban crisis is not limited to the political sphere. The situation regarding economic, social, and cultural rights is equally dramatic. Cuba is currently experiencing a profound economic crisis that has plunged the majority of the population into extreme poverty. The healthcare system has collapsed, leaving hospitals without resources, without medication, and lacking minimal adequate conditions. Access to basic medical treatment has become an unattainable privilege for many. Hunger is on the rise. Elderly individuals, surviving on miserable pensions and unable to meet their most basic needs, are dying from malnutrition as well as from preventable and curable diseases. Children from disadvantaged families do not even have access to something as basic as a glass of milk.

This is the daily reality for millions of Cubans. Added to this are unsanitary conditions, a transportation crisis, deteriorating housing, and a severe power grid crisis that burdens the population with prolonged blackouts, disrupting all aspects of daily life. As a consequence of this situation, Cuba is experiencing an unprecedented mass exodus. In recent years, nearly two million Cubans have left the country. The youth, the talent, and the hope are leaving. The nation is aging, depopulating, and weakening.

Yet, faced with this reality, there is a fundamental truth that cannot be ignored: the Cuban people desire freedom. This desire is expressing itself with growing intensity. It manifests in spontaneous protests, pot-banging demonstrations, graffiti, slogans written on walls, and acts of civil disobedience. It shows in the courage of those who, despite brutal and systematic repression, overcome their fear and take to the streets to demand change.

The Cuban people are not prepared to continue living without freedom. They are tired of the endless injustices. They are determined to keep fighting. With each passing day, it becomes clearer that the continuation of the current model is unsustainable.

Therefore, today more than ever, we must speak plainly: the only real way out of the Cuban crisis is an orderly transition to democracy. There are no partial solutions for a structural crisis. Superficial reforms or limited economic adjustments are not enough. As long as there is no political freedom, no rule of law, no separation of powers, and no respect for fundamental rights, no reform will suffice. A democratic transition in Cuba is not only necessary—it is urgent. We need a transition that makes it possible to rebuild institutions, guarantee free elections, restore fundamental freedoms, and open the way to an economic model that creates prosperity, opportunity, and dignity for all citizens. It must be a transition that puts human beings at the center, guarantees rights, and returns control over their own destiny to the Cuban people.

This process will not be easy, but it is possible—and above all, necessary and urgent. Other countries that once lived under authoritarian systems have succeeded in building stable democracies, dynamic economies, and free societies. Cuba can achieve this too. However, for this transition to become a reality, the support of the international community is indispensable.

The European Union, founded on the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights, cannot remain indifferent to the reality in Cuba. It cannot maintain normal relations with a regime that systematically violates these very principles. It is necessary to fundamentally review the existing framework of relations with the Cuban regime. It is inconsistent to maintain political and economic cooperation agreements with a government that oppresses its own people and denies basic freedoms.

Europe must adopt a more decisive stance. It must clearly condemn human rights violations, demand the release of political prisoners, and actively support independent civil society.

At the same time, a clear message must be sent: without genuine progress toward democracy, there can be no normal relations and no economic support.

Likewise, the international context must not be ignored. The Cuban regime maintains tight alliances with authoritarian governments that openly challenge democratic values: Russia, China, North Korea, Belarus, and others.

The Cuban people do not demand privileges. They demand rights, freedom, and a life in dignity. They demand the chance to build a better future. History has shown that peoples who persevere in their struggle for freedom ultimately achieve it. But it has also shown that international solidarity can make a decisive difference. With a clear stance against the anti-democratic regime and genuine solidarity with the Cuban people, Europe can contribute decisively to the democratic, peaceful, orderly, and just transition desired by the overwhelming majority of Cubans.

Thank you very much, José Daniel Ferrer.