Statement by Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, at the Twenty Fifth Meeting of the Political Council of ALBA-TCP.

Esteemed comrade Yvan Gil, Foreign Minister of the sisterly Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;

Esteemed Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations of ALBA-TCP member countries;

Comrade Jorge Arreaza Montserrat, Executive Secretariat of ALBA-TCP;

Dear comrades;

I bring warms greetings from President Miguel Díaz-Canel to the Venezuelan people, to President Nicolás Maduro Moros, to all peoples and governments of ALBA as well as a message of encouragement and confidence in victory.

This meeting is taking place at a crucial juncture in which the United States is attempting to forcibly impose the design of an international system that threatens peace, stability and security.

Claiming an alleged defense of an extreme nationalism as well as an imperialist and racist exceptionalism, the US government is resorting to the use of brutally punitive economic and commercial instruments, whose pernicious effect will negatively impact our peoples.

The United States applies discriminatory, repressive and illegal policies that violate the dignity and human rights of our fellow nationals residing in that country, while resorting to blackmail, intimidation and the implementation of an increasing number of unilateral coercive measures against our nations in violation of International Law.

According to this design, the natural resources, the critical infrastructure and the legitimate international relations that we develop with other countries are being threatened, and those who refuse to abide by the imperial plan will be running the risk of becoming targets of an aggressive extraterritorial persecution.

The United States attempts to impose, through violence, a new division of the world, whereby one part would be made up by those who would yield to their dictates by means of economic, territorial or security concessions; and another part which would be made up by those who would be subject to coercion and aggression for refusing to give-in and for defending their right to free-determination.

This design is already causing direct, intentional and politically motivated prejudice to the sovereignty and independence of States. It violates the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States and hinders the efforts made by nations for the promotion of the full enjoyment of human rights.

We cannot ignore the new threats that we are facing: foreign interference, non-conventional or cognitive and media warfare and the attempts to fracture our unity.

Coming to our minds now are the words expressed by our Apostle José Martí when he said, and I quote: “Our enemy follows one plan: to pit us against each other; disperse us; divide us; suffocate us. Therefore we follow another plan: to show ourselves to our full potential; to come closer together; to unite ourselves and outwit him. It is one plan against another plan”, end of quote.

Latin America and the Caribbean should continue to be a Zone of Peace, as was proclaimed at CELAC, through the signature of its Heads of State and Government, during the Second Summit held in Havana in January, 2014. The Panama Canal belongs exclusively to the Panamanian people.

We have the commitment and the duty to maintain a system based on respectful relationships of friendship and cooperation, free from threats and aggressions; as well as a climate of peace, stability and justice, with the purpose of uprooting, once and for all, the use and the threat of use of force.

We should work so that the premise of the Ninth CELAC Summit, to be held this April 9 in the sister Republic of Honduras, would be the defense of “unity amidst diversity”, a concept adopted by the Community at the suggestion of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz.

Cuba strongly supports the preservation and consolidation of CELAC as a representative mechanism of coordination and political dialogue among its 33 countries. We should focus on strengthening the positions of the Community; halting those that mean a regression in terms of what we have achieved; and safeguarding its historical background.

The politically motivated use of mass, violent and racist deportations of migrants by the United States is a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the human rights of our fellow nationals.  We should mobilize ourselves to prevent these from being used as a weapon for blackmail and political pressure against our nations.

The use of the US naval base in Guantánamo, a territory usurped by the United States, to incarcerate migrants is a brutal and illegal action that threatens the peace and security of Cuba and the entire region.

The kidnapping, without any jurisdiction or due process; without any trial, defense attorneys or sentence pronounced by a competent court;  and the US rendering to third countries of migrants from Venezuela or any other country is an atrocious act classifying as cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

The main motivation of Cuba’s migration is of an economic nature, due to the criminal and genocidal US blockade, which has been further tightened after Cuba’s inclusion in the spurious list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism, whose impact on our economy and Cuban families has been devastating.

We have expressed to the US government our willingness to continue honoring the three Bilateral Migration Accords still in force, which up to this date have been implemented, with relative normality, by the United States, which signed it in recognition of the fact that they respond to the national interests of both countries and benefit both peoples.

That government is largely responsible for the fact that Cubans residing in that territory, with different migration status, are there as a result of the politicization that has particularly encouraged them to migrate with the purpose of damaging, destabilizing and denigrating Cuba.

This has prompted them to apply for the condition of “refugee”, under the false pretense of a “credible fear”, which has ultimately been granted to persons who left their home country through regular ways, with a passport and an air ticket, via commercial flights and who, as soon as they manage to adjust their status, they travel back to the country where they were born to visit their relatives. They are the only victims of “political persecution” in the world who act this way and are currently being the victims of those who encouraged them to leave their country, welcomed them in the US and are now ruthlessly threatening them.

The anti-Cuban politicians who are members of the US Congress as well as the US Secretary of State, subject to some exceptions, were not born in Cuba or have ever visited the country.  They have indeed been ferociously anti-Cuban and corrupt, and have profiteered from the aggression to the Cuban nation. The corrupt, insipid and blackmailer Secretary of State is today, together with his Special Envoy, and to the dishonor of Our America, the main responsible and promoter of the persecution and attempted massive deportation of Cubans residing or staying temporarily in the United States, including many of those who entered that country through regular ways, who work there, pay their taxes and acquired properties; or those whom they exploit or are struggling to make ends meet, waiting for the application of the Cuban Adjustment Act, which is discriminatory against all other nationals.  This is the consequence of their actions, because in order to damage Cuba, they have not hesitated in hurting these peoples or separating their families. Where are they now? What are they doing? They are not defending even those who voted for them. Stop pretending! Stop lying to separate families!

Even ex Senator Robert Menéndez has been impeached, and has insisted that the Secretary of State should accompany him to purge the 11 year imprisonment sentence he is currently serving for similar acts of corruption.

Once again, we reaffirm Cuba’s commitment to a regular, safe and orderly migration and the combat against other illegal migration-related crimes, such as trafficking in persons and illegal trafficking in migrants.

We likewise reiterate to the US government our disposition to maintain a dialogue on migration and law enforcement, which would include cooperation in the prevention and combat of these crimes, terrorism and drug-trafficking.

We deeply thank the members of our community who have called for an end to the US blockade and Cuba’s removal from the fraudulent list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism.

Once again, we proclaim our strongest possible support to the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution led by President Nicolás Maduro Moros, which is determined to defend its country, with unflinching resolve, from all direct and unacceptable sanctions and external pressures. Venezuela shall continue to prevail!

Cuba reiterates its full and all-out support to Commander Co-president Daniel Ortega Saavedra and Co-president Rosario Murillo and the Sandinista people. Enough of destabilizing actions against the Government of National Reconciliation and Unity of Nicaragua!

Our all-out support and solidarity should go to the brotherly Pluri-national State of Bolivia in the defense of their sovereignty against foreign interference.

Our beloved Caribbean nations will always have in Cuba a sister that will accompany them, despite every risk of increased strengthening of the blockade, in their right to receive fair, special and differentiated treatment, which is indispensable to face the increasing challenges derived from the current unjust international financial system and climate change, as well as their legitimate claim for reparations and compensations for the horrors of slavery and colonialism. I say this with the emotions felt during my very recent official tour to Africa, which included a visit to the Island of Gorée.

We make an appeal to continue strengthening this Alliance; to close ranks against those who intend to impose on us their agendas.  “Freedom is not   begged for; it must be conquered”, said Antonio Maceo. 

This is the time when the United States is strengthening its ignominious campaign against the medical cooperation that Cuba offers to more than fifty nations of the world.  It is a shameful act of retaliation based on fake and politically motivated arguments in an effort to attack Cuba and negatively affect its cooperative relations with numerous countries, with no regard for the damage this causes to the health standards of low-income families or those who live in remote areas.  And I would ask the US: Would the United States be ready to replace the Cuban medical staff, under the same preferential or fraternal conditions, with US medical staff, at a time when it is dismantling health services and denying protection to low-income and poor US citizens, Cubans and migrants who live there and massively use the so called Obamacare, Medicare or MediAid? Would there be any person so naive to believe that, instead of soldiers, the US would send doctors to these countries?

We, on our part, ratify our disposition to maintain the cooperation agreed upon with every country requiring so, which has been established through legal agreements, according to the international rules and praxis. These agreements have been strongly defended, in a transparent way, particularly in the Caribbean, against the threats of proconsul ambassadors and the US Secretary of State himself, the same who suspended the health supplies for the discredited USAID, while reinstating funds for the destabilization of our countries.

Let us respond to the imperialist counteroffensive with our own plan by strengthening unity; globalizing solidarity and promoting integration, cooperation and dialogue.

Fidel said, and I quote: “Unity means sharing…the objectives, ideas, concepts and strategies arrived at through debates and analysis…We must avoid that, in the enormous sea of tactical criteria, the strategic lines are   diluted and we imagine non-existent situations”, end of quote.

We are called to work hard to face and overcome the onslaughts of imperialism, in the interest of defending regional peace and security.

Allow me to express to you our strong belief that, if this Bolivarian Alternative continues to move forward with unity and effectiveness, no one could ever prevent us from realizing the dreams which so many generations have devoted their lives to.

Let us forever uphold the optimism and confidence in victory bequeathed to us by our founding fathers.

Chávez and Fidel showed us the way. We are called upon to preserve it and carry on their legacy.

Thank you, very much.