As at the end of 2021 (see EUROPE 12856/22), the European Parliament has reiterated its call for the EU sanctions regime to be applied “against those responsible for persistent human rights violations in Cuba, starting with the sanctioning of Miguel Díaz-Canel”, the Cuban President, in a draft resolution tabled by the EPP, Renew Europe and ECR groups which it adopted on Wednesday 12 July (359 votes in favour, 226 against, 50 abstentions).
Parliament takes the view that, since the EU/Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement came into force in 2017, “there has been no improvement” in democracy and freedoms on the Caribbean island, but rather a worsening of the situation. It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
MEPs are “deeply” critical of the remark by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, during his recent visit to Havana, that the EU has “neither the capacity nor the will to impose changes on Cuba” when the aim of the bilateral agreement is to improve the fundamental freedoms of Cubans (see EUROPE 13201/8, 13190/24).
An amendment by the S&D and Greens/EFA groups calling on Washington to “immediately lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba” and to “remove Cuba from the list of states financing terrorism” was rejected.
See the European Parliament resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/818 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)