Cuba

Country Spotlight

When the USSR began constructing ballistic missile sites in Cuba in the early 1960s, Cuba became the location of the most heated confrontation of the Cold War between the US and USSR. Since then, it has not been known to possess a nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons program. It is also not believed to have ballistic missiles.

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Region South America, Central America, and the Caribbean

1963 Date of the Cuban Missile Crisis

1962 US begins trade embargo against Cuba

1995 Date Cuba signs the Treaty of Tlatelolco

Nuclear

Began construction of a nuclear power plant with the help of the USSR in the 1980s, but abandoned the project in 1997
Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
No evidence of possessing or pursuing a nuclear weapons program
Acceded to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) in 2009

Biological

Many unsubstantiated allegations in the past of a Cuban biological weapons program
Possesses an advanced biotechnology capability
Party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) since 1976
Has implemented framework for authorization and inspections related to enforcing the BTWC through biosafety and biosecurity

Missile

Location of Soviet ballistic missile installations in the 1960s causing Cuban Missile Crisis
Allegedly assisted North Korea in evading sanctions meant to impede import of missile technology
Does not possess ballistic missiles

Chemical

Does not possess a chemical weapons program
Ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1997

Treaties and Regimes Memberships

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NPT

The NPT is a treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons through the three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

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Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosion tests on Earth. It needs eight key countries to ratify before entry into force.

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Tlatelolco Treaty

The Tlatelolco Treaty prohibits Latin American states from acquiring, possessing, developing, testing or using nuclear weapons, and prohibits other countries from storing and deploying nuclear weapons on their territories.

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Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) bans the use, possession, testing, and transfer of nuclear weapons under international law.

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