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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2024/2584(RSP))

On the critical situation in Cuba

B-9-2024-0151

on behalf of the ECR Group · Rapporteur: Anna Fotyga, Angel Dzhambazki, Ryszard Czarnecki, Hermann Tertsch, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Bogdan Rzońca, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Assita Kanko

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 26 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This is a motion for a resolution on the critical situation in Cuba. It condemns human rights violations, calls for the release of political prisoners, demands transparency in investigations, and urges the EU to suspend the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) and impose sanctions. It criticises the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Vice-President/High Representative Josep Borrell for their approach to Cuba, and calls for the immediate cessation of EU financial aid to Cuba.

Key points

  1. Condemns the systematic violation of fundamental rights of the Cuban people over more than six decades of Communist Party rule.
  2. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained persons, especially political prisoners José Daniel Ferrer and Roberto Pérez Fonseca.
  3. Demands full transparency in the investigation into the deaths of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero.
  4. Regrets that the Cuban regime refuses to recognise human rights monitoring and denies legal status to local human rights groups.
  5. Disapproves of the EEAS's passive attitude and its failure to address human rights violations, and objects to EU cooperation funds going exclusively to state-controlled companies.
  6. Criticises VP/HR Josep Borrell's 2022 visit to Cuba and requests that he place his position at the disposal of the Council.
  7. Deplores that the human rights situation in Cuba has not improved since the PDCA entered into force and has further deteriorated.
  8. Reiterates firm support for the Cuban people and human rights defenders.
  9. Urges the EU to apply Article 85(3)b and immediately suspend the PDCA between the EU and Cuba.
  10. Urges the Council to condemn Cuba's interference in Latin America and its cooperation with totalitarian regimes, drug cartels and terrorist forces.
  11. Urges the Council to adopt sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations in Cuba and abroad.
  12. Invites EU member states to demand the immediate revocation of Cuba's place on the UN Human Rights Council and demands the immediate cessation of all EU financial aid to Cuba.

Who is affected

  • The Cuban government and Communist Party, which the resolution condemns for human rights violations.
  • Political prisoners and human rights defenders in Cuba, for whom it demands release and support.
  • The European External Action Service and VP/HR Josep Borrell, criticised for their Cuba policy.
  • EU member states, urged to demand Cuba's removal from the UN Human Rights Council.
  • The Council, urged to condemn Cuba and adopt sanctions.

Figures and deadlines

  • between one and four years of imprisonment for 'dangerous state' and 'pre-criminal security measures'
  • more than 8 000 people imprisoned and more than 2 500 sentenced to forced labour without internment
  • more than 1 000 political prisoners held in detention in Cuba in December 2023
  • more than 200 incidents of internet restrictions documented in 2023
  • Roberto Pérez Fonseca sentenced to ten years in prison in July 2021