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resolution motion, 14 September 2026

On Political prisoners in Cuba, in particular the case of Félix Navarro and his daughter Saylí Navarro

Motion B-10-2026-0409 · (2026/2874(RSP))

on behalf of the PfE Group · Rapporteur: Hermann Tertsch, Jorge Martín Frías, Mieke Andriese, Silvia Sardone, Susanna Ceccardi

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

Parliament's resolution condemns Cuba's regime and demands the release of Félix Navarro, his daughter Saylí Navarro and all political prisoners. It calls on the Commission to activate the termination clause of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement and to keep EU aid out of Cuban state hands. It asks the Council to impose targeted sanctions on regime officials, naming Miguel Díaz-Canel and several ministries and entities.

Key points

  1. States that Félix Navarro and Saylí Navarro are political prisoners, sentenced in July 2021 to 9 and 8 years in prison without due judicial process.
  2. Finds that respect for human rights is non-existent in Cuba, with over 1,200 political prisoners by the end of 2025.
  3. Says Cuba's communist regime controls the island's entire kleptocratic economy and that the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces directly control at least 40% of it through GAESA.
  4. Notes EU cooperation funding to Cuba of €50 million for 2014-2021 and €125 million earmarked for 2021-2027, and says European taxpayers must never subsidize autocratic regimes.
  5. Finds that the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed with Cuba in 2016 has completely failed across all areas ten years after signature.
  6. Notes that neither the suspension nor the termination clauses of the Agreement have been activated by the Commission.
  7. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Félix Navarro, Saylí Navarro and all political prisoners, and reiterates support for the Cuban people.
  8. Condemns the regime that has ruled Cuba for over six decades.
  9. Calls on the Commission to activate the PDCA's termination democratic clause in article 85, paragraph 3, letter b), and to ensure no EU assistance to Cuba is channelled through or controlled by Cuban authorities or affiliated entities.
  10. Calls on the Council to adopt targeted sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations, in particular Miguel Díaz-Canel and officials of named ministries, agencies and entities.

Who is affected

  • Félix Navarro and Saylí Navarro: the resolution demands their immediate and unconditional release.
  • Cuba's regime and named officials, including Miguel Díaz-Canel: targeted sanctions are requested against them.
  • The Commission: asked to activate the PDCA termination clause and to redirect EU assistance away from Cuban authorities.
  • The Council: asked to adopt targeted sanctions against regime officials.
  • Cuban political prisoners: the resolution demands the release of all of them.

Figures and deadlines

  • 9 years in prison: sentence given to Félix Navarro in July 2021.
  • 8 years: sentence given to Saylí Navarro.
  • over 1,200 political prisoners by the end of 2025.
  • at least 40%: share of Cuba's economy directly controlled by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces through GAESA.
  • €50 million: EU cooperation funding to Cuba for the 2014-2021 period.
  • €125 million: EU funding earmarked for Cuba for the 2021-2027 period.
  • 2016: year the EU signed the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Cuba.
  • article 85, paragraph 3, letter b): provision of the PDCA containing the termination democratic clause.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 18 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 16 paragraphs

B100409/2026

European Parliament resolution on Political prisoners in Cuba, in particular the case of Félix Navarro and his daughter Saylí Navarro

(2026/2874(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on Cuba,

Whereas Félix Navarro and his daughter Saylí Navarro are both political prisoners for defending the cause of democracy and freedom in Cuba; whereas, in July 2021, Félix Navarro was, arbitrarily and without due judicial process, sentenced to 9 years in prison, and Saylí Navarro was sentenced to 8 years;

whereas respect for human rights is non-existent in Cuba, with over 1,200 political prisoners by the end of 2025;

whereas Cuba’s communist regime controls the island’s entire kleptocratic economy and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces directly control at least 40% of it through the business mega conglomerate GAESA;

whereas the EU destined €50 million on cooperation to Cuba for the 2014-2021 period, and earmarked €125 million for the 2021-2027 period; whereas European taxpayers must never subsidize autocratic and totalitarian regimes;

whereas the EU signed the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) with Cuba in 2016; whereas the Agreement has completely failed across all areas ten years after its signature;

whereas, despite its unquestionable failure, neither the suspension nor termination clauses have been activated by the Commission;

Strongly demands the immediate and unconditional release of Félix Navarro, Saylí Navarro, and all political prisoners; reiterates its unconditional support for the Cuban people;

Condemns, in the strongest possible terms, a regime that has tyrannized the island of Cuba for over six decades;

Calls on the Commission, once again, to immediately activate the PDCA’s termination democratic clause set out in article 85, paragraph 3, letter b) of the Agreement; emphasizes that the failure to suspend the PDCA implies that the EU is flagrantly and consciously violating a legal clause contained in one of its signed agreements; calls on the Commission to ensure that no EU assistance to Cuba is channelled through, managed by, or placed under the control of the Cuban authorities, or of entities affiliated with them and operating under the guise of humanitarian organisations or civil society groups;

Calls on the Council to adopt targeted sanctions against all those responsible in the Cuban regime for persistent human rights violations in the island, in particular Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the high-ranking officials in charge of the Ministerio del Interior of Cuba (MININT), Direccion General de Inteligencia (DGI), Ministerio de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (MINFAR), GAESA, Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET), Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos (CSMC), Unidad Central de Cooperación Médica (UCCM), Policia Nacional Revolucionaria, and the Comités de Defensa de la Revolución (CDR), among other regime institutions;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the VP/HR, the Council, the Commission, the Member States and the Cuban de facto authorities.