Cuba among 7 dictatorships that voted against Zelensky's Video Address to the U.N. General Assembly

The regime in Cuba in alliance with 6 other pariah states and dictatorships (Belarus, Nicaragua, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Siria, Russia) voted to silence Volodymyr Zelensky and prevent the presentation of his video address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2022. The regime in Cuba takes active part in Vladimir Putin’s asymmetric war against Ukraine by using Cuban state television, radio and newspapers to repeat Russian propaganda and fabricated news on the invasion of Ukraine. By being part in this propaganda war, the Cuban regime helps Putin cover up the brutality and massacres perpetrated by the Russian army against civilians in Ukraine.

Alliances between authoritarian regimes are one of the greatest global threats facing democracy today. Collaboration between autocrats makes them stronger, and more effective at surveilling, isolating, and persecuting human rights defenders.

With respect to Russia, Cuban state media refuses to recognize that there was even an invasion of Ukraine; it is instead described as “a special operation.” They also parrot Russian propaganda narratives about the need for Russia to “denazify” Ukraine, and blame criticisms of Vladimir Putin on “Russophobia,” ignoring the Russian regime’s responsibility for the brutal attacks against civilian populations. For more information on authoritarian alliances, see our article: Cuba's alliances with China and Russia forge a global culture of impunity for atrocity crimes