Statement by Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the 63rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council, on the report presented by the Special Rapporteur on Unilateral Coercive Measures following her visit to Cuba to assess the impact of the blockade imposed by the United States.
Mr. President, we appreciate the presentation by the Special Rapporteur.
The United States claims there is no blockade or energy embargo against Cuba. The Special Rapporteur’s report exposes the liar.
With solid evidence, the Special Rapporteur has determined that the blockade causes enormous harm and violates the human rights of Cubans, including the rights to food, health, development, and life.
There can be no greater cynicism than suffocating a people and blaming others. The Special Rapporteur’s report proves that the United States is lying when it tries to hold Cuba responsible for the consequences of its cruel acts.
The Special Rapporteur determined that, despite Cuban efforts to protect the population, the actions of the United States are of such magnitude and persistence that they cause shortages of essential goods and services in Cuban homes.
Washington maintains that its policy toward Cuba is legal. The Special Rapporteur’s exhaustive legal analysis categorically refutes this. It demonstrates that the blockade violates international law and infringes upon the sovereignty and jurisdiction of other states.
The Special Rapporteur’s report is objective and factual. We support her recommendations. Cuba will comply with its obligations. The United States must comply with its own.
The Special Rapporteur’s assessment coincides with the denunciations made by many other members of this Council. None have defended the United States. All have demanded an end to its siege against Cuba.
Mr. President:
The perverse and deliberate purpose of the United States is to cause extreme shortages and total suffocation for Cuban families. They are attempting to exploit a humanitarian tragedy to destabilize the country and achieve their political objectives.
As part of the escalation of maximum pressure, they are blocking oil supplies to Cuba. The humanitarian impact is devastating.
More than 100,000 patients are waiting for surgery. The infant mortality rate has doubled. The life expectancy of children with cancer has fallen from 85% to 65%. Behind these figures are human beings and the immense suffering of Cuban families.
The architects of this policy of genocide and collective punishment celebrate as successes the agony of a Cuban mother who loses her child due to a lack of medicine. They rejoice in the prolonged power outages and the difficulties with the supply of water and other basic services.
Washington officials, experts in strangling the Cuban people, have also implemented secondary sanctions against entities or individuals in third countries, simply for having ties to Cuba.
More than 7,000 containers, many of them carrying food and medicine, remain stranded in various countries and cannot reach Cuba due to the intimidation of shipping companies.
The cruelty knows no bounds. They will have to answer to history, and the Cuban people will not forgive them.
Mr. President:
Cuba is under threat of military aggression. As a pretext, the United States goes so far as to absurdly designate our small island as a threat to the security of the military superpower. Cuba is not a threat; the blockade is!
We do not want war. But if there is aggression, which we hope will never happen, our people will defend themselves to the bitter end.
Mr. President:
Remaining silent in the face of what is being done to Cuba today weakens international law. Silence or indifference endangers everyone.
Cuba will not surrender! We will prevail, and we will do so with our own efforts and resources.
We will win, because law and reason are on Cuba’s side.
Thank you very much.
