"An Island on a Continent"

Geneva, Apr 3 (Prensa Latina) UN special rapporteurs described the blockade against Cuba as a violation of International Law and the Human Rights of its people, in a document sent to Washington.

This position was highlighted by the Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) on the Right to Food, the Right to Development, Extreme Poverty and the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on the enjoyment from the human rights.

This panel of experts formally considered that the US economic blockade policy against the island constitutes a serious violation of International Law, the principles of non-intervention in internal affairs, sovereign equality of States and the obligation to resolve disputes by peaceful means. .

According to the source, the communication from the UN Special Rapporteurs is unprecedented in this area, and has been made public after the 60-day privacy period expired since it was sent to the United States government last January.

The joint letter from the UN experts points out that the unilateral coercive measures applied by the northern country against Cuba constitute serious violations of the human rights of the Cuban people, which include their right to life and food.

“The right to the highest possible level of health, to live without poverty, without discrimination and Cuba’s right to its development.”

The document emphasizes the serious consequences that arise from the restriction of Cuba’s access to financing for agriculture and rural development programs, for the rehabilitation and modernization of agricultural equipment and infrastructure.

It also emphasizes that the increase in transportation costs for imports and the cancellation of maritime freight contracts, due to the pursuit of the blockade, has also made it difficult to implement projects of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The communication urges the United States government to report the measures it adopts to guarantee that International Law and the human rights of the people of the Caribbean island do not continue to be violated as a consequence of this policy.

The Washington government has not yet responded to the questions received from the UN Human Rights Council.