Cuba Denounces Fight On Transnational Crime As Politically Motivated

Cuba’s government rejected Tuesday to the United Nation’s Security Council acts of aggression to undermine national sovereignty and meddle in internal affairs, committed by other nations in the name of the fight against transnational organized crime and terrorism.

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The Cuban ambassador Humberto Rivero expressed his objection against double standards, political selectivity, and the unilateral acts of certain States to “approve” behaviors and draw up politically motivated lists contrary to international law.

On this matter, the diplomat referred to the incorporation of Cuba in the worst category of the report on human trafficking presented by the United States Department of State in June. 

"It is known that this unilateral report, without legitimacy or international recognition, fulfills an objective of political manipulation, as a weapon of pressure against other states and without respect, consideration or attachment to all the international efforts made to combat trafficking in persons,” Rivero stated. 

Cuba has implemented a National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Confrontation of Trafficking in Persons and the Protection of Victims, and the actual incidence of that crime is very low, according to the country’s U.N. mission.

With regards to terrorism and drug trafficking, the island has subscribed to 18 international conventions on the matter and has put into effect legislative, institutional, administrative and various measures to prevent and punish all related crimes.

Just in 2018 alone, 2,438 kg of drugs were seized, most of them from maritime international anti-drug trafficking operations. Even a 2015 U.S. State Department report admitted that despite Cuba’s geographical position between main illegal drug producers in the hemisphere and the U.S. market, the island is not a significant consumer, producer or transit point for illicit narcotics.

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Despite this, the U.S. government continues to push a discourse labeling the island as a hub for translational organized crime and terrorism. 

In fact, Rivero added, Cuba has a specific criminal norm for the confrontation of criminal acts of a terrorist nature, Law 93 against Acts of Terrorism, and specific criminal legislation to typify the crimes of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. 

The official stressed that these defamatory campaigns seek to justify Washington's hostility to the island and the recent unilateral measures part of the economic blockade aimed at damaging the people’s standard of living, damaging the economy, the country's finances, and social services.