Mr. President,
We thank the panelists for their presentations.
Humanity stands at a historic crossroads, where the need for a culture of peace is greater than ever. Our very future is at stake.
The foundations of the multilateral system and its institutions are under attack. The Charter of the United Nations and international law are being undermined.
The United States proclaims an exceptional and supreme right to conquest and to the use of force as a legitimate course of action. Beyond ideologies, all States are at risk.
That country declares collective punishment against the Cuban people and seeks to create a humanitarian catastrophe by tightening the economic blockade and imposing an energy siege on our island in the Caribbean.
Can one speak of a culture of peace if a major power is allowed to destroy a small nation and subject a noble and supportive people to genocide under the crude pretext of national security?
The historic Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace was signed in Havana in 2014 by all the countries of our region, as a commitment never to accept war and instead to always uphold dialogue, cooperation and mutual respect.
That regional position is now being disregarded with the return of the Monroe Doctrine, which is being openly advocated by the Government of the United States.
In the face of the challenges and threats looming over us, let us defend the right to peace. Cuba’s voice will always be raised in support of a culture of peace