The clamorous absences in the manifesto of 21 countries calling for Freedom for Cuba

The US Department of State published yesterday a manifesto signed by 21 countries, which condemns the repression in Cuba and calls for Freedom for the island.

Historic demonstrations in Cuba against the communist dictatorship and asking for Freedom
The European left refuses to sign a petition to end the dictatorship in Cuba

The original text can be read here. The signatories are: Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Guatemala, Greece, Honduras, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Korea, Ukraine and the United States of America.

In the manifesto the absences are striking. The government of Spain has not signed, something not strange considering that it is a coalition executive made up of socialists and communists. Neither have Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands signed, whose governments always try to instruct Poland on democratic principles but have decided to put them aside when it comes to Cuba. Very striking are also the absences of the United Kingdom, Italy and Hungary. Significantly, of the 13 European countries that have signed, 9 suffered communist dictatorships like the one Cuba now suffers.

For its interest, I offer you the full text of the manifesto below:

"We, the Foreign Ministers of Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Guatemala, Greece, Honduras, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Korea, and Ukraine, and the United States Secretary of State, condemn the mass arrests and detentions of protestors in Cuba and call on the government to respect the universal rights and freedoms of the Cuban people, including the free flow of information to all Cubans.

On July 11, tens of thousands of Cuban citizens participated in peaceful demonstrations across the country to protest deteriorating living conditions and to demand change. They exercised universal freedoms of expression and assembly, rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and the European Convention on Human Rights.

We call on the Cuban government to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the Cuban people without fear of arrest and detention. We urge the Cuban government to release those detained for exercising their rights to peaceful protest. We call for press freedom and for the full restoration of Internet access, which allows economies and societies to thrive. We urge the Cuban government to heed the voices and demands of the Cuban people.

The international community will not waver in its support of the Cuban people and all those who stand up for the basic freedoms all people deserve."