STATEMENT BY FIRST DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, H.E. MR. MARCELINO MEDINA, TO THE HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF THE FORTIETH SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL. FEBRUARY 27, 2019
Mr. President:
On behalf of the people and Government of Cuba, I would like to express our gratitude for the expressions of solidarity and support received after the devastating tornado that lashed Havana on January 27 last.
Once again we would like to congratulate Mrs. Michelle Bachelet upon her appointment as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reiterate our full support to her efforts towards promoting and protecting all human rights for all, as well as to avoiding politicization and making prevail the principles of objectivity, non-selectivity an impartiality on the treatment of human rights issues.
Mr. President:
We are noting with great concern the ever greater challenges that need to be faced by the international community.
Inequality and poverty are on the rise as a result of an unjust international order and the existence of irresponsible and unsustainable production and consumption patterns as well as non-transparent and non-democratic financial institutions. Such order in 2018 has made 26 billionaires to own more money than the 3.8 billion poorest people in the planet.
The negative impacts of climate change are increasing. Some of them are already irreparable and jeopardize the survival of the planet, and the health and the quality of life of present and future generations. However, the main world power, the United States, is evading its present and historical responsibilities upon deciding to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Supremacist ideas, hatred speeches, xenophobia and intolerance, particularly against minorities and migrants from the South, are thriving. Some developed countries, whose economic growth was once favored by waves of immigrants, or whose nationals were welcomed in other countries, are today demonizing migrants and ignoring the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The images of migrant children held at detention centers in the United States and after some of them are separated from their relatives are terrifying.
There is an increased politicization, selectivity and implementation of punitive approaches and double standards when addressing human rights issues.
The most powerful country faced with enormous challenges in this field, bearing responsibility for some of the most serious human rights violations, is set to become a world paradigm. They cynically and selectively promote their own interpretation of certain civil and political rights while being at the same time a violator of the right to free determination, development and peace of peoples.
The United States show contempt for International Law, violate the UN Charter and intervene in the internal affairs of other States, intends to conceal their crimes against progressive governments that do not yield to their designs. For such purpose, they manipulate the cause of human rights.
One of the most evident examples is the escalation of pressures and actions by the United States government to prepare a military adventure under the guise of a “humanitarian aid” in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. They intend to impose a change of regime and legitimize a fake president created in Washington.
The actions against Venezuela have nothing to do with the situation of human rights in that country, which have been trampled upon as a result of the economic and financial warfare imposed by the United States against the Bolivarian people.
These action are a consequence of the renewed application of the Doctrine Monroe and basically aim at controlling the natural resources of that sister nation and of Latin America as a whole, as has been blatantly stated by top officials of the US government.
The policy of hostility against Venezuela has not been able to undermine the resistance of the Venezuelan people, which has stood firmly in its will to defend peace, independence and national sovereignty.
As the Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said and I quote: “Today, the sovereignty of our peoples will depend on the attitude to be adopted towards Venezuela. To support the legitimate right of that sister nation to choose its own destiny will mean to defend the dignity of all.” End of quote.
Cuba reiterates its call for defending peace in Venezuela and the entire region, based on the principles enshrined in International Law, the UN Charter and the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
Cuba reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with Constitutional President Nicolás Maduro Moros, the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution and the civil and military union of its people. We support President Maduro’s expressed willingness to establish a dialogue as well as the efforts made by some countries so that said dialogue takes place.
We reiterate our solidarity and support to Nicaragua and its government, headed by Commander Daniel Ortega; and reject the interventionist actions and threats against that sister nation.
Mr. President:
The United States is tightening the policy of hostility applied against Cuba for over half a century.
That old but sustained practice is being reinforced now by an effort to impose new sanctions and measures aimed at tightening the criminal and genocide economic, commercial and financial blockade, which has been rejected by an overwhelming majority countless times. Certain extremist sectors which have succeeded in pervading the US foreign policy with an unusual aggressiveness and, in the case of Cuba, they seek to impose insurmountable obstacles to prevent any future effort to advance bilateral relations.
This is a new escalation where the US imperialism intends to dominate or mentor the fate of our nation. I would like to remind the US government that, for sixty years, the Cuban people have been defeating those attempts and will continue doing so. As Army General Raúl Castro Ruz said on January 1st last and I quote: “…We Cubans are prepared to resist a scenario of confrontation, which we do not want, and hope that the more balanced minds in the US government could prevent it”.
Mr. President, Cuba is permanently committed to the promotion and protection of all human rights for all.
We are moving forward in the process to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the promotion and protection of human rights as part of the process of updating Cuba’s economic and social model.
We are working on the implementation of the recommendations received during the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, which had the support of our Government.
Cuba will continue defending and cooperating with the human rights mechanisms that are applied on universal, objective and non-discriminatory bases.
Our people have continued to strengthen its socialist, participatory and genuinely popular democracy.
A massive process of popular consultation on the draft new Constitution of the Republic of Cuba - something that has never occurred in countries set up as models of democracy- took place from August 15 to November 15, 2018.
A total of 8 945 521 persons, from a population of a little bit over 11 million, participated in that process. In total 133 681 meetings for debating the draft Constitution were held, where 783174 text proposals were made. Moreover, for the first time proposals and opinions made by Cubans residing abroad were included in a process of this kind in the country.
This wide popular participation showed a high commitment and extended identification of the Cuban people to improving our political, economic and social system.
To conclude this process, which has been the best example of our democracy, just three days ago on February 24, the Cuban people ratified, through a popular referendum, the new Constitution of the Republic of Cuba, with an electoral turnout of 84.41% and positive votes of 86.85% of the constituents which casted their vote.
These figures prove quite clearly the firm support given by the Cuban people to its government, the political system they have freely chosen and the Revolution.
Under the new Constitution, Cuba will continue to move forward in the construction of a sovereign, independent, socialist, democratic, prosperous and sustainable nation, and will continue to struggle so that the dreams of justice of Jose Marti and Fidel Castro would come true.
Thank you, very much.