Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Republic of Haiti is suffering a serious multidimensional crisis that exacerbates the social instability, poverty and structural underdevelopment caused by centuries of colonial and neo-colonial plunder and foreign interventions.
The international community owes a great debt to Haiti, a Caribbean nation that was the protagonist of the continent's first independence, anti-slavery and social revolution, which has suffered the cruel and selfish reprisals of imperialist powers for more than two centuries.
Haiti needs real and sufficient assistance and cooperation for its reconstruction and progress, without external interference, which has not been the solution but the cause of its problems.
Cuba has provided solidarity and selfless cooperation to Haiti in areas of great impact for its people, such as public health, education, agriculture, sports, energy, water resources and other key areas for the country's social and economic stability. 448,355 Haitians have become literate through Cuban programmes and 1,606 young people have been educated in our universities.
Our country has maintained uninterruptedly, since 1998, a brigade of health professionals and technicians alongside the Haitian people, who through their humanistic and altruistic work have treated 38 580 215 cases, performed 774 236 surgical operations and 73 331 ophthalmological interventions as part of "Operation Miracle", assisted 204 090 births, administered 1 014 806 doses of vaccines and saved 252 433 lives. This cooperation has been sustained even during the country's most difficult times, including the foreign intervention of 2004, the earthquakes of 2010 and 2021, the cholera epidemics and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current situation.
The Haitian people appreciate and recognise the humanitarian, selfless and altruistic service provided by Cuban collaborators in the difficult circumstances in which they have always had to operate.
The Cuban government maintains fluid communication and permanent attention to the 53 health collaborators who remain in the south of Haiti, where the situation is calmer, as well as to the other 7 who, together with the personnel of the Cuban Embassy, are well and have taken the necessary measures for their security and protection.
Through our Embassy in Port-au-Prince and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, communication has also been maintained with the Cubans living in Haiti or in transit and their families, and their situation is constantly monitored.
Cuba maintains contacts with regional actors on the situation in Haiti, to whom it has reaffirmed that the Haitian people have the right to find a peaceful, sustainable and lasting solution to the challenges they face, based on full respect for their self-determination, sovereignty and independence.
The brotherly Haitian people can always count on Cuba's support and solidarity.
(Cubaminrex)