Havana, Cuba.- State terrorism with more than 5,000 victims, biological aggressions, media campaigns and the economic, commercial and financial blockade constitute a policy that perhaps no country has suffered throughout history, despite the declared failure of its objective of imposing on Cubans a social and poliical program they have not chosen.
Alleged human rights violations and the export of the revolution to other oppressed nations have served as spearheads for Washington to justify its position before the international community.
"Nobody can deny that the Revolution born on January 1 has not had, for 60 years, a minute of peace, we are already in 12 U.S. administrations which have not relented in their attempt at forcing regime change in Cuba using one way or another, with greater or lesser aggressiveness," warned Raúl Castro, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, just a few days ago.
The leader pointed out that the current administration is taking the confrontation route, and some of its spokespersons aim to deteriorate bilateral relations by strengthening the blockade.
Out of the pretexts used against Cuba, perhaps the least known is that of the nationalizations done by the Cuban government in the 1960s, a legitimate measure of the Revolution's intention to return the country to its unique owner: the Cuban people.
In March 1996, then president William Clinton signed the Helms-Burton Act, a White House aggressive escalation aimed at tightening the blockade and multiplying its extraterritorial action, an initiative which includes the controversial Title III.
This section authorizes U.S. nationals and property owners who were not U.S. citizens at the time of the nationalizations -whose alleged properties no one has certified- to file lawsuits in U.S. courts against any foreigner who "traffics" with them.
Several Republicans and Democrats holding the Oval Office in use of their executive powers and the law itself, including Donald Trump in 2017 and 2018, suspended the application of Title III for six months, aware of the complex picture its materialization would represent.
The State Department announced Wednesday a 45-day suspension, arguing the intention to carefully review the issue "in light of U.S. national interests and efforts to speed up a transition to democracy in Cuba."
In a statement rejecting Wednesday's decision, Cuba's Foreign Ministry drew attention to the impact of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, in particular the flagrant violation of international law and the direct attack on the sovereignty and interests of third countries.
This decision the U.S. government threatens to adopt would imply that, contrary to what is established by international law and the practice of international relations, foreign individuals and entities with legitimate businesses in Cuba could be faced with threats of facing unfounded and illegitimate claims before U.S. courts, it stressed.
It also mentioned the possibility that any Cuban and every community in the country could see lawsuits brought before the courts for the home they occupy, the workplace they work in, the school their children attend, the polyclinic where they receive medical attention and the land where their neighborhoods are built.
If Title III is imposed, it would constitute a serious obstacle to resolving claims, affect bilateral exchanges and poor cooperation between the sides, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, U.S. Foreign Ministry Director said.
After the rapprochement announced in December 2014 by the then presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama, Havana and Washington took initial steps in talks on mutual compensation, despite the high political, technical and legal complexity of the issue.
The big press and people interested in the confrontation only mention Cuban nationalizations and the rights to claim of those affected, but ignore Cuba's right to compensation for decades of aggressiveness from the United States.
In this regard, Havana's Provincial People's Court declared "Valid" in November 1999 the Cuban people's lawsuit against the U.S. government for human damages and sanctioned it to repair it and compensate it for 181.1 billion dollars.
Months later, the same court sentenced compensation of 121 billion dollars, figures which have increased with the continued economic, commercial and financial blockade.
Cuba has reiterated its willingness to find a solution to the complex issue, which would be even more difficult to resolve if the White House decides to support the most hostile anti-Cuban sectors, which advocate the application of Title III.
Fernández de Cossío recently recalled on Twitter that the 1960s nationalizations were carried out in harmony with local and international laws.
Cuba contemplated the compensations, the US government never agreed to address the issue, said the diplomat, who assured it is an easy position to verify and "the misrepresentation of facts cannot change history."
Cuban leaders have reacted lashing out at Washington's policy of blackmail and lies in recent hours.
"We will not allow political blackmail, we have sufficient and legitimate reasons and truths to face so much hostility and contempt," President Miguel íiaz-Canel posted on Twitter, while Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez described the White House action on Title III as irresponsible hostility and a brutal attack on international law and third states.
In such a tense scenario, Raúl Castro's call on January 1 takes on great importance.
I reiterate our willingness to live in a civilized manner, despite differences, in a relationship of peace, respect and mutual benefit with the United States. We have also clearly pointed out that Cubans are ready to resist a confrontation scenario, which we do not want, and we expect that the most well-balanced minds in the U.S. government can avoid it," he emphasized. (PL)
Escriba su comentario
Post comentado como Invitado