Declaration of the 20th forum of the cuban civil society against the blockade

We, civil society organizations, movements, networks and social actors participating in the 20th Forum of the Cuban Civil Society against the blockade, with the presence and support of non-governmental organizations that cooperate for the development of our country, convened to discuss the “The impact of the blockade on the health of the Cuban population” and deeply moved by the accounts and experiences of the devastating and inhumane impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade enforced by successive US administrations against our country for more than six decades,

1)    Denounce that the blockade violates the United Nations resolutions related to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and, consequently, the decision of the Heads of State and Government to “Leave no one behind”. Its criminal implementation has a devastating effect on the entire Cuban population, particularly families, children, women, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.  It also undermines the commitments and will expressed by the Heads of State and Government in adopting the "Pact for the Future" last September during the current 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly;

2)    Denounce that the blockade impairs the implementation of public policies adopted by the government in the health sector and, therefore, the achievement of SDG 3 of the 2030 Agenda “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” In addition, it seriously hinders the actions and efforts of the Cuban government, with the support of civil society, in achieving the sustainable development of the country, while also undermining the alliances and actions promoted by various actors, aimed at contributing to a sustainable nation;

3)    Reaffirm that the blockade constitutes the main obstacle to the implementation of the 2030 Economic and Social Development Plan and, consequently, to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the fulfillment of its Sustainable Development Goals; it substantially limits Cuba's right to development, and violates the Declaration and Program of Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993, which recognize the Right to Development as a universal and inalienable right and as an integral part of fundamental human rights;

4)    Denounce that the damages caused to the Cuban nation during more than six decades of implementation of this illegal and cruel policy amount to USD 164,141,100,000, which could have been used for the economic and social development of the country. The loss of such resources has a negative impact on the State's efforts to guarantee the health of the population, a task for which it relies on the support and commitment of all scientific health societies and workers in the sector.

5)    Reiterate that the blockade substantially limits the actions of Cuban civil society in contributing to national efforts to guarantee the health of the population; it significantly affects the activity of scientific health societies and curbs the exchange of information with their U.S. counterparts that would benefit the peoples of both nations. This callous policy hinders the publication of articles by Cuban researchers in specialized journals of that country; the payment of membership fees of scientific societies to international entities, while also preventing our specialists from paying their fees to participate in different events, among many other effects;

6)    Condemn the detrimental impact of the blockade on the education of students in the health sector by preventing the acquisition of literature, supplies and technologies necessary for their comprehensive training;

7)    Reject the actions of the US government aimed at hampering Cuba's highly recognized medical cooperation with many countries. We strongly reject and condemn the infamous classification of this humanitarian and essential cooperation as trafficking in persons, with the purpose of reducing the revenues resulting from such cooperation, which are totally allocated to the Cuban health system; 

8)    Denounce that the blockade undermines cooperation with Cuba by agencies, funds and programs of the United Nations System, international non-governmental organizations and other actors interested in supporting the Cuban health system and the economic and social development of the country. We reiterate the appreciation and gratitude of Cuban civil society to these multiple actors and our satisfaction in being their partners for cooperation in many cases;

9)    Reject the extraterritorial application of the blockade, which violates the sovereignty of third States and infringes the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We denounce that measures such as the suppression of the ESTA for European citizens traveling to Cuba, seriously impair cooperation and scientific exchange in the health sector; 

10)    Repudiate and condemn the massive, flagrant and systematic violations of the human rights of the entire Cuban population as a result of the blockade, including the right to health;

11)    Condemn the policy of maximum pressure and asphyxia rigorously pursued by the Biden Administration against our country, inherited from President Trump, which has a devastating effect on all spheres of Cuban society. We urge President Biden to listen to the growing clamor of the American population and the international community demanding the lifting of that criminal policy and to adopt, within his presidential prerogatives, measures aimed at relaxing its implementation;

12)    Denounce that the blockade violates the civil and political rights of the Cuban population, since it pursues the objective of changing the political, economic and social system that we Cubans have freely chosen, in full exercise of our self-determination. We reject all actions aimed at undermining the decision of the Cuban people to build a socialist, prosperous, sustainable, independent and sovereign homeland;

13)    We demand that President Biden remove Cuba from the unilateral, illegal, unfounded and immoral List of State Sponsors of Terrorism as such inclusion  lacks moral and legal justification and is aimed at reinforcing the criminal blockade and significantly affecting the lives of Cuban men and women. 
We reiterate our gratitude to the international solidarity movements that accompany Cuban civil society and the entire nation in this just demand. We invite the promoters and advocates of public international law, of international humanitarian law, of all human rights for all, to continue accompanying us in this battle in defense of the fundamental human right of the Cuban people: our right to life.

14)    Endorse the presentation of the draft resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” on the 29th and 30th of this month, during the current 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and request the member states of the Organization to support it, as an unequivocal expression of their commitment to justice and international law.

                                                         Havana, October 25, 2024