Havana, April 1, 2024.- The Special Rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council on the Right to Food, the Right to Development, Extreme Poverty and the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on the enjoyment of Human Rights, in an unprecedented communication, have formally described the blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, aggravated by the country's inclusion on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, as a serious violation of International Law, including the principle of non-compliance. intervention in internal affairs, the principle of sovereign equality of States and the obligation to resolve disputes by peaceful means.
Once the 60-day privacy period for this type of communications has expired, the joint letter sent in January to the United States government by United Nations human rights experts has now been made public, in which they affirm that unilateral coercive measures applied by that country against Cuba constitute serious violations of the human rights of the Cuban people, including their right to life, to food, to the highest possible level of health, to live without poverty, without discrimination and Cuba's right to its development
They also emphasize the serious consequences that arise from the restriction of Cuba's access to financing for agriculture and rural development programs, and for the rehabilitation and modernization of agricultural equipment and infrastructure.
They highlight that the increase in import transportation costs and the cancellation of maritime freight contracts, due to the persecution of the blockade, has even made it difficult to implement projects of the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO.
The joint communication urges the United States government, among other things, to report the measures it is taking to ensure that International Law and the human rights of the Cuban people are not continued to be violated as a consequence of unilateral US sanctions.
The Washington government has not yet responded to the questions received from the Human Rights Council.
(Cubaminrex)