Cuba denounces U.S. return to Monroe Doctrine

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Wednesday accused the United States of reviving the Monroe Doctrine and pursuing an aggressive, unilateral agenda that threatens the sovereignty of Latin American and Caribbean nations.

Speaking at the 9th Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Honduras, Diaz-Canel said recent U.S. policies and rhetoric reflect a “declared return” to the 19th-century doctrine, which historically justified U.S. intervention in the region.

“These actions challenge multilateralism and international law by disregarding fundamental principles such as peaceful coexistence and sovereign equality,” the Cuban leader said.

He warned that the current U.S. administration is pushing an agenda marked by unilateralism with damaging consequences.
Washington, he said, is also attempting to control Latin America’s external relations with non-Western partners, while resorting to coercive tactics.

“The United States seeks to legitimize the imposition of unilateral coercive measures,” he said. “It is trying to normalize blackmail, political harassment and manipulation as everyday tools against our nations.”

He also criticized U.S. deportation practices, accusing authorities of carrying them out without due process and in a repressive environment that violates human rights.

With regard to the current circumstances, the Cuban president called for greater regional unity, saying only a “strong and cohesive CELAC” can effectively counter external pressure and defend regional sovereignty.

He urged CELAC member states to act as a unified bloc, putting shared goals above individual differences and confronting challenges as a “true regional community.”

Diaz-Canel also expressed gratitude for CELAC’s longstanding opposition to the U.S. economic embargo against Cuba, which has been in place for over six decades, and called on member nations to continue voicing their support in multilateral forums.
His remarks echoed broader calls at the summit from several leaders urging respect for sovereignty and stronger regional integration in the face of growing external pressure, particularly from the United States.