Jesús Daniel Romero and William Acosta from Miami Strategic Intelligence Institute for Poder & Dinero and FinGurú
Introduction
In the last three years, the European Union (EU) has been Ukraine's main international ally against Russian aggression. It has allocated more than 85 billion euros in military, humanitarian, and economic aid to Kiev (Vanguardia, 2023), while harshly sanctioning the Kremlin and reinforcing its narrative in defense of democracy. However, that same European Union maintains a formal cooperation agreement with the Cuban regime (EUR-Lex, 2016), one of the longest-standing and most repressive in the Western hemisphere.
This contradiction exposes a political and moral double standard that undermines the credibility of the European bloc concerning human rights, particularly in Latin America.
Cuba: cooperation without democracy
Since 2016, when the EU signed the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (ADPC) with Raúl Castro, relations with the Cuban regime have been normalized. The signing of the agreement marked the end of the "common position" in Europe, which had conditioned any rapprochement on verifiable improvements in human rights.
Under the new framework, the EU has transferred more than 140 million euros in cooperation for development, tourism, agriculture, and climate change (Fundación Carolina, 2022). These funds are channeled through the Cuban state apparatus, without transparent oversight or participation from independent civil society (Diario de Cuba, 2025).
Meanwhile, the regime continues to imprison artists, journalists, activists, peaceful opponents, and youths who protested in the historic uprising of July 11, 2021. There are no free elections, no plural press, nor union freedom.
And yet, Brussels defends its policy of "constructive engagement" with Havana (Semanario Universidad, 2025).
Ukraine: firmness, defense, and principles
Since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, the EU has led an international coalition to support Kiev. Not only with sanctions and weaponry but also with diplomatic backing in every international forum and a clear narrative: Ukraine is a sovereign democracy fighting for its freedom against an authoritarian regime.
European leaders have visited Ukraine on multiple occasions. They have included the country in membership plans, frozen Russian assets, and made the defense of Ukraine a centerpiece of their foreign policy (Swissinfo, 2025).
A view from Washington: Trump, Rubio, and the hard line
During President Donald J. Trump's administration (2017–2021), the policy towards Cuba was decisive: it reversed the thaw initiated by the Obama administration, reinstated financial restrictions, re-listed Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, and sanctioned the military conglomerates that dominate the island's economy (U.S. Department of State, 2021).
This policy was consistent with a vision of maximum hemispheric pressure that also reached Venezuela and Nicaragua. For the Trump administration, the defense of democracy was not just a Euro-Asian matter but a continental priority.
This vision has been taken up by the current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has led a foreign policy focused on defending hemispheric freedoms. Under his leadership, the United States has pressured for the suspension of the EU-Cuba agreement, reinforced alliances with democratic Latin American governments, and denounced Brussels' double standards before multilateral forums (El País, 2025).
The soft European axis: the countries supporting Havana
This contradiction is compounded by a phenomenon within the EU itself: several governments have been tougher on Trump’s foreign policy than on the Cuban dictatorship.
● Spain (PSOE governments) has defended its trade links with Cuba, even while its hotel companies benefit from the economy controlled by GAESA.
● Ireland and Belgium have voted against or abstained from European Parliament resolutions condemning Cuban repression.
● Italy, Greece, and Portugal have avoided confronting the Cuban regime directly, appealing to the language of non-intervention and technical dialogue.
All these countries criticized the sanctions imposed by Trump while protecting their investments in Cuba or promoting a romantic vision of the revolution. The result: the same Europe that sanctions Russia for invading a democracy finances a dictatorship stagnant 150 kilometers from Florida.
The urgency to correct the course
The European Parliament has passed multiple resolutions condemning repression in Cuba, but the European External Action Service (EEAS) continues to defend the ADPC. The contradiction between institutions, and between principles and practice, is increasingly evident.
If Europe wishes to be seen as a genuine defender of human rights and democracy, it must apply the same moral firmness it shows in Ukraine to its policy towards Cuba.
A necessary response: American firmness in the face of European hypocrisy
The new administration of President Trump — now with proven leadership in the Department of State — should remind Brussels that human rights are non-negotiable. If the European Union insists on financing dictatorships like the Cuban one while demanding democratic loyalty on other fronts, the United States must respond with proportional actions.
It is time to consider selective economic sanctions against the true havens of European double standards: those countries profiting from tourism in dictatorships, protecting investments in repressive military enterprises, or blocking resolutions in defense of freedom. If Europe does not wish to act coherently, at least it should bear the diplomatic and financial cost of its hypocrisy.
Because freedom cannot depend on the political climate of Brussels. And the world cannot tolerate the sale of principles for hotel contracts in Havana.
References
● Diario de Cuba. (2025). The Cuban civil society asks the European Parliament to be part of… https://diariodecuba.com/derechos-humanos/1746825794_61042.html
● U.S. Department of State. (2021). State Sponsors of Terrorism. https://www.state.gov/state-sponsors-of-terrorism/
● El País. (2025). Marco Rubio establishes himself as Trump's trusted man in foreign policy. https://elpais.com/internacional/2025-05-04/marco-rubio-se-impone
● EUR-Lex. (2016). EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ES/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A22016A1213(01)
● Fundación Carolina. (2022). Relations between the European Union and Cuba. https://www.fundacioncarolina.es/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Especial_FC_EULAC_1_ES.pdf
● Semanario Universidad. (2025). EU supports the dialogue and cooperation agreement with Cuba. https://semanariouniversidad.com/mundo/ue-sostiene-el-acuerdo
● Swissinfo. (2025). The EU will allocate 1,000 million euros to the defense of Ukraine… https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/la-ue-destinar%C3%A1
Vanguardia. (2023). The European Union gives 1,500 million euros to Ukraine. https://vanguardia.com.mx/noticias/da-la-union-europea-mil-500-millones-de-euros-a-ucrania-NG10529895
Jesús Daniel Romero. Retired Commander of Naval Intelligence of the United States. Co-Founder and Senior Fellow of Miami Strategic Intelligence Institute. Author of "Final Flight: the queen of air" a best seller on Amazon. An authorized account of his experiences leading teams in the fight against drug cartels in Central America. A regular consultant on topics of his expertise and geopolitics in general, for the main audiovisual and print media in the state of Florida. Columnist for Diario Las Américas in Miami.
William Acosta. Served in the New York Police Department as an investigator. He participated in various international investigations on drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, homicides, and human trafficking. He collaborated with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and is currently the CEO of Equalizer Investigations, an organization with offices in the states of New York and Florida, among others, and associates in Latin America and Europe.
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