Statement by Juan Antonio Quintanilla Román, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Cuba, at the General Segment of the 49th regular session of the Human Rights Council.
Mr. President,
Last February 26, the Cuban Government issued a statement on the events that are taking place in Ukraine, in which it clearly expressed its position in favor of a solution that guarantees the security and sovereignty of all and addresses legitimate humanitarian concerns.
Our position on this issue was also extensively addressed during the statement of the Cuban delegation on the occasion of the emergency special session of the UN General Assembly held this week.
Mr. President,
In addition to the events in Europe that are drawing everyone’s attention, the peoples of the world are also facing the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the case of Cuba, the impact of this pandemic and the multidimensional global crisis has been worsened by the cruel, deliberate and opportunistic tightening of the blockade imposed more than six decades ago by the US government.
This blockade constitutes the most flagrant and massive violation of the human rights of an entire people and the main obstacle to Cuba's economic and social development.
Using the pandemic and its effects as allies, the US government followed a policy of maximum pressure seeking to strangle the Cuban economy; tightened unilateral coercive measures; imposed new sanctions and reinforced the destabilization program.
The cruelty of the blockade reached unprecedented levels. Not only did it hinder donations to Cuba to face the pandemic, but it also tried to hinder the development of our vaccines and access to medicines and basic supplies.
The objective has been the same for six decades: causing economic scarcity, deteriorating the quality of life of the population in order to bring about chaos and desperation, and holding the government responsible for this in order to incite its overthrow.
The aim is to create a political opposition, to fracture the constitutional order, the social consensus, to encourage irregular migration, as well as to compromise the tranquility and security of the citizens.
Facts are manipulated based on lies using fourth generation warfare methods to provoke destabilization and the so-called "regime change", to which the US government allocates millions of dollars every year.
The country they are trying to bring to its knees with actions that violate International Law is the one that shares its experience in facing epidemics and has sent 58 medical brigades of the "Henry Reeve" International Contingent to 41 countries and territories.
It is the first country in the region, and in the South, that has three COVID vaccines of its own and two vaccine candidates in development, and the first in the world to immunize its population between 2 and 18 years of age.
It is the country that continues to strengthen its legal-institutional framework for the protection and promotion of all human rights for all, guided by the new Constitution of the Republic.
The implementation of the National Program for the Advancement of Women, the National Program against Racism and Racial Discrimination, among others, demonstrates the will of the Cuban State and government to guarantee the rights of its people.
The new Family Code which, in an exercise of true democracy, is now being submitted to popular consultation, will place Cuba among the most advanced countries in the world in family matters.
Mr. President,
When attempts to distort our reality and subvert the constitutional order are on the rise, we reaffirm the words of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution 45 years ago "Our policy is diaphanous and clear: we do not negotiate with principles, we do not allow ourselves to be intimidated by campaigns of any kind, nor by pressures of any kind."
As the Cuban people decided 63 years ago and ratified in a constitutional referendum in 2019, we will never give up on building our socialist state of law and social justice, democratic, independent and sovereign, organized with all and for the good of all.
Thank you very much