Cuba Presents National Report to the Universal Periodic Review

Cuban Foreign Minister denounces the impact of the U.S. blockade against Cuba, and the human rights violations in the illegal Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay

The economic, political and media blockade imposed by the United States, which Cuba has resisted, undefeated, for more than 50 years, is a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of human rights, denounced the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in presenting the national report on Wednesday May 1st  to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the blockade causes harm, deprivation and suffering, but did not prevent equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, or social justice, reported Prensa Latina.

"The persistent U.S. effort to impose a regime change on the Cuban people is a serious violation of their right to self-determination, which has failed to prevent either the active, democratic and direct participation of its citizens in the building of the constitutional order, in the decisions of the Government, or the election of its authorities," he said.

The Chancellor said that in Cuba there are no people unprotected, nor deprived of dignity, nor are there children without quality education, sick people without health care or elderly without social protection.

Cuba has made significant progress in the realization of economic, social and cultural rights. Education has achieved universal coverage and is free at all levels, he said.

The Caribbean country is also recognized for its outstanding performance and the high quality of its public health system, with universal coverage and free care.

• Read the full article here
• Read full statement by Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez here
• Read Unite Union submission to the Universal Periodic Review here
• Read the NZ Cuba Friendship Society submission to the Universal Periodic Review here