Glossary
Plain-English meanings for the words you will meet when reading about the blockade.
- Blockade
- The word that Cuba and its supporters, including South Africa, use for the US embargo. The US government rejects the term. In the UN General Assembly debate in October 2026 its UN ambassador said, 'There is no blockade.' US policy documents call it an economic embargo.
- Cuban Democracy Act
- A 1992 US law, also called the Torricelli Act. It bars US-owned companies in other countries from trading with Cuba. Ships that traded with Cuba cannot load or unload freight in the US for 180 days afterwards, unless the Treasury grants a licence.
- DIRCO
- The Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the South African government department that handles the country's relations with other countries. Its minister, Ronald Lamola, addressed the UN General Assembly on 24 September 2026.
- Embargo
- A government ban on trading with another country. The US embargo on Cuba is a set of US laws and regulations that restrict trade, travel and money transfers with Cuba. The UN General Assembly uses the word embargo in its yearly resolution.
- Extraterritorial sanctions
- Sanctions a country applies beyond its own borders, to people and firms in other countries. They are also called secondary sanctions. US rules on Cuba can reach non-US banks. South Africa says this makes trading with Cuba riskier.
- Helms-Burton Act
- A 1996 US law, officially the LIBERTAD Act. It wrote the Cuba embargo into US law. Title III lets US nationals sue people who 'traffic' in property Cuba confiscated. Title IV bars such people from entering the US.
- OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control)
- A part of the US Treasury Department. It runs US sanctions programmes, including the one for Cuba. It publishes sanctions lists and guidance, and it issues licences that allow some activities that sanctions would otherwise ban.
- State sponsor of terrorism
- A US government list of countries that the Secretary of State says have repeatedly supported international terrorism. Listing brings US limits on aid, arms sales and some exports. The US lists Cuba. South Africa calls this unfounded and wants it ended.
- Trading with the Enemy Act
- A US law the government used as a legal basis for the Cuba embargo. It was added to that basis in 1962, and in 1963 the Treasury issued the Cuban Assets Control Regulations under it.
- UN General Assembly
- The main policy-making body of the United Nations. All 193 member states have one vote each. It makes recommendations to states. Every year it votes on a resolution that calls for an end to the US embargo on Cuba.