Cubans from the Island, and in exile, committed to democracy, send proposals to the White House, the State Department and the United States Congress

With more than 162 proposals received, exclusively on the subject of United States foreign policy towards Cuba, the plural platform, Pasos de Cambio, has published the suggestions of Cuban opposition organizations and civil society, as well as citizens living in the Island and in the diaspora.   A compilation of most cited perspectives in the different proposals reflects that:

“The revision of The United States’ policy towards Cuba must support democracy and free, plural elections without making unilateral concessions, but rather conditioned on irreversible steps towards the recognition of human rights. Any eventual negotiation process that involves the current Cuban regime must recognize the members of the opposition and civil society as interlocutors and be preceded by:

• the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Cuba;
• the end of violence and repression committed against members of the internal opposition, independent civil society and citizens; 
• and respect in law, and in practice, for fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression, association and public demonstration.

 The United States is requested to express its solidarity through actions such as:

• Publicly announcing the willingness to authorize and promote humanitarian aid from the American people to the Cuban people, the democratic opposition and independent civil society. It is important that this support be directed only toward the Cuban people, directly to the citizens, preventing any kind of intervention by or benefits to the regime.
• Imposing political, financial, diplomatic and legal sanctions on the persons responsible and complicit in the repression and policies of human rights violations. Consider using the Global Magnitsky Act, aimed at imposing political and economic sanctions against agents involved in serious abuses.
• Denouncing the interventionist nature of the dictatorship and prosecuting in courts those individuals linked to criminal and terrorist activities related to drug trafficking, trafficking in persons through the “Medical Brigades”, providing sanctuary and support to terrorists, and other illicit activities.
• Inviting the sister republics of our hemisphere to take similar steps to support democratic change in Cuba. Involve multinational agencies (OAS, UN, European Union) within the hemisphere to stand in solidarity with the Cuban people and their right to decide.
• Inviting and promoting the participation of Cuban independent civil society in international forums such as the Summit of the Americas and vetoing the participation of the regime until it complies with the articles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.”

  The proposals are being sent to President Biden and Vice President Harris, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, and the foreign policy committees of the United States Congress.

Visit Pasos de Cambio to see other points mentioned, as well as the full content of all the proposals and their authors. The platform will continue to receive and publish the proposals that are submitted.