Most Excellent Baroness Catherine Ashton:
In Spain, the members of the Christian Liberation Movement, a peaceful organization that works within and outside of the island for the democratization of Cuba, direct ourselves to you, considering the commitment of the European Union to fundamental rights and freedoms in every part of the world, and especially in the Republic of Cuba. To that effect, we expound to you, among others, those actions that we believe should be undertaken for a correct assessment of the situation of freedoms and fundamental rights of the Cuban people.
- Unfortunately, in recent months officials of the working team of the High Representative have contacted the Cuban government rather than the democratic opposition within the island. This exclusion contradicts the letter and the spirit of the European Common Position, which to date, is the bloc’s policy in its relations with Cuba, as agreed by foreign ministers of the Union last October; in addition, it rewards the government’s exclusionary policy towards democrats on the island. We believe that to seek to assess the possibilities of a bilateral relationship between the Union and the island’s regime, excluding the political opposition acting in its legitimate role of democratic interlocutor, signifies a regression in the attitude of promoting and recognizing the political diversity of Cuba, in accordance with the Common Position. If the High Representative continues to consider the Government as the sole interlocutor, unfortunately such an attitude will reinforce the exclusive and one-party attitude of the regime. The internal political opposition should be heard in situ by the High Commissioner’s working team and no one outside of Cuba should speak for the opposition.
- The liberation of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience subject to legal loopholes which allow their re-imprisonment without new judicial processes, and the exile of others to Spain, should never be interpreted as signs of democratization, but rather as actions which, if they are to be considered acts of justice, must also be considered consequences of the totalitarian and repressive attitude of the Government towards peaceful opposition, which has not changed. To overvalue the abovementioned occurrence would lead to falling into a repetitive cycle, the only result of which would be to repeatedly favor the Cuban government. We remind the High Representative that to this day in Cuba any peaceful demonstration of nonconformity is persecuted and harassed, and while many are released, many others await sentencing from a judicial system that responds in an order of lawlessness.
- The European Union must at all times recognize the just right of the Cuban people to freely decide their present and future; as such, there exists a demand for a referendum supported by more than double the number of citizens required by Cuban law, to which the government has never offered a response. If the Union continues its commitment of solidarity with the rights and freedoms of the Cuban people, the High Representative should recognize and inform the EU foreign ministers of the legitimacy of this demand, as well as the right of the Cuban people to be consulted in this referendum; in addition, the Representative should comment on the attitude of the government of not respecting its own laws, as dictated by the Executive. The realization of this referendum as a supreme exercise in sovereignty and the implementation of its results, should be the starting point for considering that a political will exists within the Cuban government toward the respect for the freedoms and fundamental rights of the people.
We thank the High Representative for the attention given to our suggestions, at the same time that we with you success in your efforts, reiterating our commitment to fundamental rights and freedoms for all Cubans.