Summary
The Cuban delegation staged an act of repudiation against activists and opposition members during an event at the United Nations in New York.
Harassment in international settings reflects how intimidation practices can extend beyond Cuban territory.
Cubalex has warned about the selective nature of transnational repression and its effects on those who defend human rights from exile.
The Cuban regime's delegation to the United Nations staged a protest on Monday, October 19. act of repudiation against activists and opponents during the event “Cuba Libre: The Oppression Havana Hides”, organized by the United States mission to the UN, in New York, with the purpose of exposing the reality of the island.
Before the activity began, Cuban diplomats approached the participants and began shouting pro-government slogans, including "Down with the blockade.".
The meeting brought together representatives of the Cuban opposition and civil society, including recently exiled activists José Daniel Ferrer and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara; María Werlau, director of Cuba Archive; economist Emilio Morales; and researcher Juan Antonio Blanco were present. Also in attendance was Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat, secretary general of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (ARC), who that same day was again the subject of Disqualifications by the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, on social media.
Rodríguez resorted to including Gutiérrez Boronat on the so-called National List of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism, an instrument created by Cuban authorities whose application raises serious concerns about its use for political purposes and as a mechanism for stigmatizing people who oppose the government, even from abroad. Cubalex has analyzed the risks of this tool in its Analysis of Resolution 19/2023 of the Ministry of the Interior on terrorism and protection of the constitutional order.
What happened in New York should not be analyzed solely as a verbal confrontation between representatives of the Cuban government and its critics. The episode raises questions about the Use of diplomatic presence and multilateral spaces to discredit, intimidate and try to condition the public participation of those who denounce human rights violations in Cuba.
Transnational repression: when harassment crosses borders
Transnational repression encompasses practices by which a state seeks to monitor, intimidate, silence, or punish individuals outside its territory because of their political, journalistic, or human rights activities. These actions can take various forms and do not necessarily require the use of physical force to produce repressive effects.
In the Cuban case, Cubalex has identified a pattern of targeted and selective attacks, frequently directed against prominent figures in independent civil society. The aim is not limited to affecting a specific individual: it also seeks to generate fear within exile communities, weaken their support networks, and reduce their capacity to denounce human rights violations committed on the island.
READ ALSO: Cubalex alerts the IACHR about transnational repression and requests regional action
The practices identified include surveillance, diplomatic harassment, smear campaigns, and other forms of low-intensity harassment that can cause psychological distress, isolation, and fear of further reprisals. Their seemingly lower intensity does not eliminate their potential impact on the exercise of fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression, association, and participation in public affairs.
From this perspective, the act of repudiation carried out by Cuban representatives at the United Nations can be examined as a manifestation of harassment in an international forum. The actions of an official delegation against individuals who use that same platform to denounce the situation in their country demonstrate the importance of evaluating not only episodes of physical violence, but also the practices of intimidation and discrediting that can limit the participation of activists in public debate.
Discrediting as a mechanism of intimidation
Public stigmatization is a key component of these dynamics. When authorities portray activists and opposition figures as criminals, foreign agents, or alleged terrorists, they shift the discussion from human rights violations to questions about the legitimacy of those making the accusations.
This type of discourse can have consequences that extend beyond political confrontation. The labels used by state officials can increase the exposure of those targeted to new forms of harassment, damage their reputation, and hinder their ability to carry out their activities. They can also send a discouraging message to others considering participating in public events, collaborating with independent organizations, or reporting abuses to international bodies.
In the case of Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat, the reference to the Cuban national list of individuals and entities linked to terrorism must be examined within that context. Inclusion on an official list does not replace the obligation of the authorities to substantiate concrete facts through procedures compatible with due process guarantees. Nor does it automatically justify the stigmatization of a person or permit the restriction of their rights outside the framework of the State's international obligations.
The problem takes on an additional dimension when the The criticisms come from high-ranking officials and occur in parallel with international activities. aimed at denouncing the human rights situation in Cuba. In these circumstances, official discourse can contribute to discrediting the whistleblowers precisely when they try to access spaces for participation and international scrutiny.
The UN as an arena for dispute over the participation of civil society
The New York episode must also be placed in a broader context: the participation of the Cuban State in international human rights mechanisms and its relationship with independent organizations that document abuses.
In its analysis published on May 4, 2026, Cubalex highlighted the contradiction between Cuba's presence on the Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Cuban authorities' historical rejection of independent human rights organizations. Cuba was elected to this body for the 2027-2030 term, a position relevant to the accreditation and participation of civil society within the United Nations system.
READ ALSO: Cuba joins UN NGO Committee despite its historical rejection of independent civil society
The experience documented by Cubalex shows that restrictions on civil society participation are not limited to repression within Cuba. They can also manifest themselves through institutional obstacles, challenges to the legitimacy of independent organizations, and practices that hinder their access to international mechanisms.
Harassment at multilateral events and barriers to institutional participation are distinct phenomena, but they can produce convergent effects: reducing the visibility of complaints, wearing down those who present them, and limiting the opportunities for victims and independent organizations to be heard.
Therefore, defending international civic space requires that multilateral organizations not only facilitate the participation of civil society, but also be vigilant against potential acts of intimidation against those involved in their activities. The presence of state representatives in these spaces should not be used as an opportunity to harass critics or as a mechanism to discourage the documentation of human rights violations.
Cubalex's experience suggests that these concerns are not limited to other Cuban activists. Members of the organization have also suffered harassment at international events where Cuban diplomacy holds a presence.
This background reinforces the need to examine intimidation practices from a perspective that considers both individual actions and the institutional context in which they occur. When those who document abuses or file complaints with international mechanisms face pressure in those same spaces, their ability to freely carry out their human rights work can be compromised.
The situation is especially worrying for people who continue their activism from exile. Leaving the country does not necessarily end the persecution, And the possibility of intervening in international forums does not, in itself, guarantee that they can exercise their rights without fear of reprisals.
A coordinated international response
In March 2026, Cubalex alerted the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Regarding the expansion of transnational repression in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, the organization called for a strengthened regional response and the adoption of measures to identify, document, and prevent these practices.
Among its recommendations are recognizing and conceptualizing the phenomenon, maintaining its monitoring through the Commission's mechanisms, preparing a specific report on its patterns and consequences, and incorporating the issue into the IACHR's annual report. It also proposed strengthening national protection mechanisms for human rights defenders in exile and promoting investigative protocols to determine state obligations in response to these events.
The incident at the United Nations demonstrates why this agenda is necessary. The international response cannot be limited to reacting to the most visible episodes of physical violence; it must also address forms of harassment, discrediting, and intimidation that can restrict the exercise of rights abroad.
Host states and multilateral organizations have a crucial role to play in preventing these practices, protecting those affected, and investigating relevant complaints. This response must respect due process, avoid premature conclusions about unresolved issues, and ensure that human rights defenders can participate in public spaces without fear of reprisal for their opinions or legitimate activities.
Transnational repression seeks to extend the effects of state control beyond borders and limit the ability of those in exile to denounce injustices, organize, and defend their rights. Faced with this phenomenon, international cooperation, rigorous documentation, and effective protection of civil society are essential to prevent geographical distance from becoming a new form of vulnerability.