Human Rights in Cuba -- Revolutions and Democracy in Latin America

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Date Posted: 13:26:19 05/01/02 Wed
Author: Venu Bhakhri
Subject: Human Rights in Cuba

I just found this article on Cuba and thought it was very interesting. It talks about Cuba and the human rights conflict that is going on there currently. The US is urging Cuba to make constitutional changes regarding human rights but Cuba refuses to do so. Since we will be talking about Cuba on Friday I thought you guys may be interested in reading it. The article provides general information about what is going on in Cuba currently regarding human rights and is interesting. Hope you enjoy reading it --> write if you have any comments about the article.

Here is the article:

Mark The Economist (US), April 20, 2002 pNA
Big row, small change; Cuba's foreign policy. (The politics of human rights in Cuba)(Brief Article)
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2002 Economist Newspaper Ltd.

A ritual battle over a human-rights vote

IT'S that time of year again. In the run-up to this week's vote at the UN Human Rights Commission, Cuban officials have been hurling their customary insults at their accusers in the United States, and all those in the region they see as American lapdogs. But to little avail. All the signs are that Latin America is losing patience with Cuba.

Fidel Castro's government has suffered criticism of its human-rights record at the UN for nine out of the past ten years. But only narrowly: last year the resolution condemning it passsed by 22 to 20 votes. Cuba can rely on the likes of Algeria, Libya and Vietnam. And last year the United States was voted off the commission. But it has been lobbying hard, especially in Latin America.

Mexico (see previous story) and Peru, abstainers in the past, both said they would back a Uruguayan motion. This praises Cuba's record on "social rights" but condemns the lack of political rights and would send a UN investigator to the island. In response, Felipe Perez Roque, Cuba's foreign minister, accused Uruguay and Peru of having traded their self-respect and independence for the Yankee dollar. That prompted Uruguay to recall its ambassador from Havana.

But, as always, the bitterest exchanges are between Cuba and the United States. American diplomats have handed out short-wave radios on the island, and are backing a petition for constitutional changes. They say their policy towards Cuba will not alter until Mr Castro allows free speech and elections.

Yet some things are changing. Since November, when the first shipments of American goods in four decades arrived, there has been a steady stream of frozen chicken, lard, apples and beans, with more to follow. And more Americans than ever before are visiting Cuba. Some are defying a 40-year travel ban. Others have been given permission by the administration in Washington; they include Jimmy Carter, a former president who is due shortly, and will be the most prominent American to visit Mr Castro.

The farm lobby and many ordinary Americans would like change to go faster. But not George Bush, who owes his election in part to Cuban-Americans in Florida. And it remains an open question whether Uncle Sam is more useful to Mr Castro as the enemy against which to rally his citizens, or, if and when the embargo is lifted, as an export market and a source of tourists and investment.

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Foreigners can invest in Cuba. Cubans cannot. -- Niko, 19:50:39 05/11/11 Wed