According to the Foreign Minister’s post on his social media account, special rapporteurs and independent experts from the Human Rights Council described the US government’s accusations on Army General Raul Castro Ruz as a violation of the UN Charter and International Law, while also warning against the misuse of judicial procedures as an instrument of coercion.

  “They urged the US government to immediately cease threats against Cuba and revoke unilateral coercive measures; they emphasized that no state should recognize these measures, and they requested the UN Security Council and General Assembly to urgently address the threats against Cuba as a matter affecting international peace and security,” the foreign minister wrote regarding the opinion.

  The document, whose contents were released by Rodriguez Parrilla, warned how the statements by US President Donald Trump, who said it would be an honor to take over Cuba, reflect a deeply concerning strategy of coercion against a sovereign state.

  “This statement is not mere rhetoric, but part of a broader strategy that includes the long-standing embargo against Cuba, its inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the recent fuel blockade, and the imposition of coercive measures on third parties,” the experts noted.   They also argued that the announcement of the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to the southern Caribbean highlights an additional element of illegal coercion, which contravenes the Charter of the United Nations, as interpreted by the International Court of Justice.

  The report further emphasizes that the punitive measures against Cuba are part of a worrying trend of illegality and disregard for multilateralism.

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