In his speech, Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez, Cuba’s permanent representative, thanked the technical assistance provided by the Office in academic visits to the Caribbean island by special procedures and experts from treaty bodies, during the last two years.

In the general debate on agenda item 2 at the 58th regular session of the Human Rights Council, Benítez noted that in a sovereign manner, they will advance in cooperation with the human rights mechanisms of the United Nations.

“The Office of the High Commissioner must advise the special procedures created by this Council, to ensure strict compliance with the Code of Conduct, which some violate, and the proper management of social networks, which cannot be used to spread false or unverified information,” he said.

He reiterated Cuba’s rejection of selective and politically motivated mandates against some nations, which are always from the South.

In this regard, “no country is exempt from challenges, and none has the authority to consider itself a paradigm, much less to use human rights as a pretext to stigmatize other sovereign States.”

Benítez stressed that attempts to turn the Council into a court against countries that do not subordinate themselves to the geopolitical interests of the “masters of finance, markets, media and weapons” are unacceptable.

He added that the Government of the United States imposes an economic blockade policy that flagrantly and systematically violates the human rights of Cubans.

The situation is further aggravated by Cuba’s “infamous inclusion” in the arbitrary and unilateral list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism, an issue denounced by 123 nations in that Council and by several special procedures.

“Cuba will continue to raise its voice to reject domination and hegemony, unilateral coercive measures and the attempt to impose a single model on the world,” he concluded. jg/oda/dgh