Lithuanian parliament’s 6/30/21 Cuba resolution refuses to ratify EU-Cuba Agreement

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RESOLUTION

OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA

 

30 June 2021 No XIV –

Vilnius

The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania,

recalling that the freedom and democracy of the Republic of Lithuania was born from its protracted and painful, but ultimately successful struggle against the Nazi and Communist totalitarianisms.

noting, that the Republic of Lithuania is fully aware of the new forms of destructive activities carried out by the post-communist Russian Federation and its allies against neighbouring states and Western democracies.

having, regard to the fact that, since its alliance with the former USSR, the Republic of Cuba has remained a totalitarian state, where the principle of separation of powers and the rule of law are not adhered to, basic human rights and freedoms are not respected, and a multi-party system able to respond to people’s expectations remains abolished.

noting that the Government of the Republic of Cuba remains one of the closest allies of the Russian Federation and that these two states are the world’s key pillars in sustaining the illegitimate government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela) through hybrid warfare strategies.

noting that interference by the Republic of Cuba in foreign affairs and its role in inciting violent conflicts and unrest in the region have been proved by the governmental, law enforcement and intelligence authorities of the United States of America, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

witnessing that the Government of the Republic of Cuba has repeatedly been urged to abandon these practices and extended a friendly helping hand by leaders of the European Union, the United States of America and Latin America, but this has had no effect on the development of democracy on the island,

emphasizing that, apart from a minor generational switch at some formal power positions, the true reform of the centralized economy in the Republic of Cuba has not taken place and the tools of the totalitarian police and justice systems have not been abandoned, but, quite on the contrary, the latter have actually been strengthened,

emphasizing that there has emerged a military monopoly of several corporations controlled by the army – Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group (GAESA), acting as a shady mafia state in the state, not audited by any other national institution,

noting that the state of Cuba has centralised most of the country’s economy and almost all economic activities generating income in hard currency, including communications, tourism, remittances, and human trafficking of Cuban professionals, particularly of the so-called medical brigades,

adding that the current harsh repression by the regime of the Republic of Cuba against, among others, the freedom of thought, expression, press, movement, association, academic research, and religion represents the greatest challenge for the democratic governments which have extended the government of the Republic of Cuba the benefit of the doubt,

declares, in strong and unequivocal terms, that the regime of the Republic of Cuba and its relations with the Russian Federation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the regime’s support for terrorist organisations funded by drug trafficking, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Colombia’s guerilla group National Liberation Army (ELN), are a threat to the neighboring states and societies of Latin America,

resolves that the Government of the Republic of Cuba may not be encouraged to keep pursuing its current path by remaining quiet on these ongoing realities, and that it is not policy-wise to ratify the political dialogue and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Cuba and to create favourable conditions for the Government of the Republic of Cuba to allow the regime of the Republic of Cuba to continue implementing its dangerous regional strategy and to strengthen the oppression of the people of the Republic of Cuba;    

expresses solidarity with the victims of repression, affected by the ongoing persecution, targeting members of the opposition, dissidents, and citizens demanding fundamental political, civil, economic, cultural rights.

demands respect for the life and freedom of movement of Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, a humble young artist who went into a hunger strike in protest against the destruction of his works and the constant police harassment and threats, and the immediate return of his works of art stolen by the secret police;

demands immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners (over one hundred), imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights, as well as the group of activists associated with the Movimiento San Isidro, now uncommunicated in Cuban Lubyankas and Gulags, such as Maykel Castillo (Osorbo), Denis Solis, Luis Robles Elizástegui, and others such as the Obispo 6, who were detained when peacefully demanding to have access to Otero Alcantara. The six non-violent protesters are Inti Soto Romero, Thais Mailén Franco, Esteban Rodríguez, Mary Karla Ares, Yuisan Cancio Vera, and Luis Ángel Cuza Alfonso;

demands immediate withdrawal of police forces which are now enforcing illegal home detention of various pro-democracy activists, independent journalists, and artists, including world renowned artist Tania Bruguera.

 

Speaker of the Seimas                                                                                      Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen

Source: https://twitter.com/Zingeris/status/1410305624865447936