Cuba’s ambassador to the UN Office in Geneva, Pedro Luis Pedroso, has reiterated his country”s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, diplomatic sources informed today.

After addressing the General Segment of the 37th regular session of the Human Rights Council, the diplomat highlighted the priority attention to issues such as access to health services and higher quality education, greater protection and social assistance, food security and sustainable access to drinking water, among others.

‘Achieving greater social justice and well-being for all our people, in the exercise of the broadest freedoms recognized by the Constitution and laws, is one of the objectives of the updating of the Cuban economic and social development model,’ he said.

Pedroso recalled that the country reached the lowest infant mortality rate in its history in 2017, four per 1,000 live births, a higher result to that registered by many developed countries and ‘it has been possible thanks to the work of the Revolution.’

The ambassador said that to achieve these results, Cuba has had to ‘overcome the negative consequences of the genocidal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.’

‘The blockade, which continues to be in force and intensifies, is the main obstacle to the development of the country, is a flagrant violation of the human rights of the Cuban people, and undermines the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and International Law,’ he said.

He stressed that Havana maintains its cooperation and interaction with the United Nations human rights procedures and mechanisms that have universal application, on non-discriminatory basis.

‘Cuba will continue advocating for dialogue and cooperation in the field of human rights, and for recognition and respect to differences,’ he stated.

The ambassador also stressed that his country is committed ‘to the efforts to build a world order where respect for the independence and sovereignty of each State prevails, and in which the war and the threat or use of force are banished.’

(Prensa Latina)