Havana, Cuba.- Thanks to the work done for decades, today Cuba has a wide international support in human rights promotion, which refutes repeated attempts to discredit the island.

One of the greatest evidences of respect for Cuba was its re-election in 2016 in one of the eight positions for Latin America and the Caribbean in the United Nation Human Right Council (UNHRC).

Cuba was the most supported country in the region, with 160 votes for the period 2017-2019. According to the Cuban diplomatic authorities, it was a sign of recognition by the international community of Cuban work in human rights promotion.

After the UNHRC setting up in 2016, Cuba has been elected as member country in four periods (2006-2008, 2009-2011, 2014-2016 and 2017-2019).

Cuba also assumed one of the UNHRC vice-presidencies between June 2010 and June 2011, representing the Latin American and the Caribbean region.

Only in 2012 and 2013 Cuba did not appear as a member of the Council, only because the members of the council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate reelection after two consecutive terms.

According to sources of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, the Caribbean island gives a high priority to international cooperation for the promotion and protection of all human rights.

They also highlighted that Cuba took an active part in both the negotiations to the setting up of the Council and the process of institutional construction of that body.

Cuba also presented various proposals to ensure the genuine promotion of international dialogue and cooperation in the field of human rights, without intervention of practices of confrontation and political manipulation that put an end to the previous Commission of Rights Humans.

According to the Cuban authorities and diplomats, the island remains committed to addressing the historic claims of the peoples of the South and of the great majorities worldwide on issues such as the effective realization of the right to development and the fight against racism, the discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances.

In this regard, they recalled that Cuba signed the International Covenants on Human Rights in 2008 and that it will continue its work in that area as the main sponsor of several projects in the Council.

They also stressed that Cuba remains committed to ensuring full respect for the principles of universality, indivisibility, objectivity and non-selectivity in order to strengthen cooperation in the field of human rights.

Contrary to powers like the United States, Cubans have significant achievements in the enjoyment of all human rights, whether in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, in the civil and political rights or in the so-called third generation rights or solidarity.

According to representatives of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the UN, if they have to mention only one of the achievements, they would refer to the full exercise of their right to self-determination amid the grave obstacles and threats derived from the policy of hostility, aggression and blockade imposed for decades from abroad.

Cuban successes in areas such as health, education, scientific-technical research, culture and sports are also widely known at the international level.

However, what is hidden or distorted, is that all this has been possible precisely because the Cuban people own their political destiny and the resources of the country, exercise the power and the fullest control of the life of the nation, and actively participates as an actor of the system of democracy designed and endorsed by the people in a universal plebiscite, diplomats pointed out.

As if that were not enough, there are many in the world who knows closely the ideals supported by the Cuban people in their international actions, the commitment to the advancement of human rights and the fight against colonialism and for access to health and education.

According to official figures, more than 325 thousand Cuban collaborators have served in 158 countries, and, in terms of education, thanks to the Cuban literacy program ‘Yosípuedo’ more than nine million people have learned to read and write in thirty nations.

At the same time, the Caribbean nation has received visits from missions and officials of the highest international organization and has provided all the information necessary to respond to the requests of special procedures of the UNHRC, with which it will continue to cooperate.

In general, as a member of the aforementioned body, diplomats say, Cuba promotes its traditional initiatives on issues such as access to food, respect for cultural diversity and the promotion of peace as a vital requirement for the enjoyment of all human rights.

Likewise, the country continues its work towards the progressive development of third generation rights and, in particular, international solidarity.