Canada’s Cuba blind spot – How Ottawa’s inconsistent approach undermines democracy in the Americas: Michael Lima, Isabelle Terranova, and Sarah Teich
As of December 2025, Cuba had 1,192 political prisoners in arbitrary detention (Prisoners Defenders 2025). This selective application of principles undermines Canada’s credibility as a defender of human rights and democratic governance. Canada should raise Cuban human rights violations under the Human Rights Council’s Agenda Item 4, which addresses country-specific abuses requiring attention. Canada should raise Cuban human rights violations under the Human Rights Council’s Agenda Item 4, which addresses country-specific abuses requiring attention. Teich is an international human rights lawyer, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and co-founder and president of Human Rights Action Group.
Source: The Guardian February 24, 2026 14:39 UTC
