It is essential to safeguard the unity of the CELAC

Miguel Diaz-Canel, First Vice President of State of Ministers of Cuba [Photo credit: web]

Statement by Miguel Diaz-Canel, first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba, at the Fourth Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), in Quito, Ecuador, on January 27, 2016.

Translated by: Ambassador Francisco Fernandez Pena.

Dear President Rafael Correa; Heads of State and Government; Heads of delegations and guests:

Just over four years ago when our America recalled the bicentennial of the struggles for independence, they joined for the first time under a common purpose, the 33 States in the region. Since then it has been confirmed, as I said President Raul Castro in his speech last December 29 at the National Assembly of People's Power of the Republic of Cuba, that "it is essential to safeguard the unity of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States ( CELAC) as a necessary mechanism, legitimate, unitary and diverse policy coordination and integration ... ".

Mister president: In recent years there have been many challenges and dangers for Latin America and the Caribbean arising from an increasingly complex and volatile international political and economic situation. Hence acting together and cohesively while respecting our diversity and our differences, constitutes a necessity.

To do this, the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, solemnly signed in Havana on January 29, 2014, commits us to respect the inalienable right of every state to choose its political, economic, social and cultural system; to peacefully resolve our differences, and to no longer intervene, directly or indirectly, in the internal affairs of other States.

Latin America and the Caribbean remains the most unequal region in the world in terms of the distribution of wealth. Current statistics, despite the questionable concepts on which they are based, show that of the 397 million persons that make up our population, 63%, are mired in some condition of vulnerability and poverty, a figure that could possibly rise due to the adverse international economic conditions. A single Latin American and Caribbean person that starve or that cannot read and write, or that is mired in poverty is a problem for all of us, and we must solve it together.

The issue that in Latin America and the Caribbean there is a proliferation of differences that we have not been able to solve by means of dialogue; or because we are intolerant of diversity in political, economic and social systems; or indifferent to the very particular problems of small island countries in our region is also a problem that we must solve together. Cuba believes in cooperation, solidarity, and the need for collective action without selfishness and intransigence. We have in CELAC the principles, and mechanisms to achieve it.

We have, in the collection of the Community the instruments to define common positions in extra-regional relations, pursuant to postulate the Proclamation urges for all States to show full respect in their relations with other countries.

In this spirit, we are deeply grateful for the solidarity of our brothers in Latin America and the Caribbean for the claim that an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba by the US government, which remains intact despite the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries; for supporting that the territory illegally occupied by the naval base of the United States in the Cuban province of Guantanamo for more than a century should be returned to our people; and for supporting that the migration of our region is legal, orderly, safe and so it goes on policies like 'wet feet, dry feet' affecting the human rights of migrants, and creating many difficulties to countries in our region, particularly transit countries.

In the same sense of solidarity, we reiterate our strongest support to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the victim of a difficult international economic situation, aggravated by a prolonged economic crisis, media and psychological warfare, and numerous destabilizing actions encouraged and supported from the outside.

We demand the repeal of Executive Order from President Obama, declaring Venezuela a threat to US national security and the elimination of the sanctions applied on this basis to Venezuelan citizens. We reiterate that the Venezuelan government, and people deserve wider regional, and international solidarity.

We appreciate the progress made in the peace talks between the government of Colombia, and the FARC-EP, which are closer than ever to ending the conflict that has bled the country for over half a century. Cuba, as guarantor, and headquarters will continue contributing their fair work. We remain unchanged in our support for the people of Puerto Rico in search of self-determination and independence, and reiterated the CELAC.

We support the efforts of Argentina to recover the territories of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich legitimately Argentines. We continue with the Republic of Ecuador in their claims to transnational corporations who refuse to recognize and repair the serious ecological damage in the Amazon, and the government of the Citizen Revolution against the destabilizing attempts.

Also extend to President Dilma Rousseff and Brother Brazilian people is our solidarity and support in the battle being waged to defend the social and political gains of the last 13 years.

We sympathize with the Caribbean countries in their strenuous efforts to address the effects of climate change; We reject the unfair policies of international financial institutions to prevent their access to financial resources because of its Gross Domestic Product and support their demands for reparations for the damages caused through slavery and colonialism.

Dear President:

January 28 morning the 163 anniversary of the birth of Cuba's National Hero, José Martí, author of the political essay "Our America", which constitutes a fundamental contribution to the ideology of continental anti-colonial and anti-imperialist unity of our peoples is celebrated. With his foresight Martí called us to graft the world in our republics, but noted that the trunk had to be that of our republics.

Tonight the young Cubans, in homage to Marti parade with their torches aloft from the University of Havana to the place where he suffered imprisonment and performed forced labor; It is a tradition of 63 years, which joined several of our Heads of State and Governments at the Second Summit of the CELAC, held in Havana two years ago.

Allow me, finally, to congratulate the Republic of Ecuador and its president Rafael Correa for his work as head of the CELAC and thank the Ecuadorian people for welcoming us so warmly on his land.

We pledge our support to the Dominican Republic and President Danilo Medina in management during the period now begins in front of the Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC.

Thank you very much (Applause).