Cuba advocates for a just and democratic international order

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 25 (ACN) Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Cuban foreign minister, called for a fair and democratic international order that guarantees peace and balance in the world, sovereign equality, the exercise of the right to development by all States and environmental sustainability.

Speaking at the High-Level Segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council being held in Geneva, Switzerland, Cuban diplomat expressed his concern over the advance of conservative and neo-fascist platforms and the backwardness of developed countries in terms of respect for fundamental rights.

He reiterated the condemnation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States more than 60 years ago against Cuba and denounced how it hinders the people's full enjoyment of the rights to food, health, culture and education, which the Cuban State provides free of charge or widely subsidized.

Cuba will continue defending its sovereignty and the socialist State of law and social justice, assured Rodriguez Parrilla during his speech before the Human Rights Council, which, due to its importance, the Cuban News Agency transmits below in its entirety.
Speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, at the High-Level Segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council.

Geneva, February 24, 2025.

Mr. President:

The right to life is in grave danger. The United Nations Charter, international law and multilateralism are under threat. Economic coercion and political subversion are being imposed as methods of international relations.

This Council must advocate more strongly for a just and democratic international order that guarantees peace and "the balance of the world", sovereign equality, the exercise of the right to development by all States and environmental sustainability, ensuring the exercise of all human rights.

This Council is an important tool for the promotion and defense of human rights without manipulation, politicization, selectivity or double standards. It is urgent that all States make a commitment to human rights mechanisms of a thematic, universal and non-discriminatory nature.
We are concerned about the advance of conservative and neo-fascist platforms, and how developed countries are experiencing decades of regression in fundamental rights, including women's equality, sexual and reproductive rights, the rights of Afro-descendants, ethnic minorities and migrants.

Attempts by Western countries to turn this Council into a repressor against countries that do not subordinate themselves to their interests are unacceptable and jeopardize its credibility and existence. The disastrous history of the imploded Commission on Human Rights must not be repeated.

The United States, an active accomplice of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, questions the permanence on the Council's agenda of a priority and historic issue, such as the flagrant violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people, to whom we reiterate all our solidarity.

The US government applies a policy of maximum pressure against Cuba, deteriorating consumption, income and the standard of living of Cuban families.

The economic blockade causes inflation, low availability of fuel, food, medicines and serious damage to the electrical service. It obstructs the full enjoyment of the rights to food, health, culture and education, which the Cuban State provides free of charge or widely subsidized.
We thank the 123 States that, last July, spoke out in this Council against the inclusion of Cuba in the State Department's spurious list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism.

Mr. President:

Recently, extensive evidence has been disclosed about the practice of the United States government of dedicating millions of dollars of federal budget funds, through entities such as USAID and NED, to finance organizations, media outlets, artificial intelligence laboratories, and communication platforms that use the protection of human rights and the promotion of democracy as a façade, while responding to the political objectives of that government.

This is a serious and pertinent matter for this Council and its mandate, as it demonstrates the double standards and opportunism, with which the issue of human rights has been used to subvert sovereign governments.
Mr. President:

In November 2023, Cuba submitted, for the fourth time, to the Universal Periodic Review and accepted more than 80% of the recommendations made, in the study and implementation of which we continue to make progress.
Last October we successfully appeared before the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

In the last year, Cuba has sent its national reports on racial discrimination and enforced disappearances to the respective Committees. We have received, in academic visits, four special procedures and a treaty body expert.
It is a relationship that we hope to continue building together.

Mr. President:

Cuba will stand firm in its creative and self-sacrificing resistance.

We will defend our sovereignty and the socialist state of law and social justice.

We will continue defending the principles of universality, indivisibility, objectivity and non-selectivity in the treatment of human rights.

Cuba's voice will continue to be heard in defense of the full dignity of man.

Thank you very much.

(Taken from Cubaminrex)