On Thursday 19 September, the European Parliament reiterated its call for the EU/Cuba cooperation agreement to be suspended because of the Cuban regime’s persistent violation of human rights, by adopting a resolution tabled by the EPP, ECR and Renew Europe groups (356 votes in favour, 204 against, 55 abstentions).
MEPs rejected an amendment from the Greens/EFA and S&D groups that replaced this request with an invitation to the Cuban authorities to respect its human rights obligations under the bilateral agreement and international treaties to which Cuba is a party.
The European Parliament calls for the immediate and unconditional release of political opponent José Daniel Ferrer García and all those arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. It reiterates its call on the EU Council to adopt sanctions against those responsible for persistent human rights violations in Cuba, using the EU’s ‘Magnitsky Act’.
Amendments from the left-wing groups calling for the lifting of the economic blockade imposed by the United States on the Caribbean island were also rejected.
See the European Parliament resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/dhe (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)