For more than six decades, the Cuban people have been facing a genocidal blockade that violates their fundamental rights to life, health, food, education and culture, among others. It also hinders the Cuban government’s continuous efforts to eradicate inequalities and achieve greater social justice, objectives endorsed in the Constitution adopted in 2019.

Since 1992, the United Nations General Assembly has passed 30 resolutions demanding the end of the blockade of the U.S. government against Cuba, and exposing the economic and human damages caused to its population. Contrary to international demands, the economic, commercial and financial siege has not only been maintained, but has been intensified with the adoption of the Torricelli Act in 1992 and the Helms Burton Law in 1996, whose Title III began to be applied in 2019, guaranteeing the possibility of opening legal proceedings in US courts against those entities and individuals who trade or negotiate with properties nationalized in Cuba after the triumph of the Revolution in 1959. To this was added in the year 2021, the arbitrary and unjustified inclusion of the island on the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism. It can be said that the blockade has reinforced its extraterritorial component and has become more harmful and inhumane.

Europe, a relevant actor in the international context, is seeing its interests and those of its citizens affected as a result of the blockade and the extraterritorial measures imposed by Washington, which prevent a normal and coherent relationship in accordance with the principles of free trade. Therefore, the provisions of the blockade are as illegitimate against the Caribbean nation as they are hostile to Europeans.

Aware of the impact of the application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, of the inclusion of Cuba on the List of Sponsors of Terrorism, of the fact that the blockade violates the norms of International Law that regulate the relations between States and that, therefore, it is not a bilateral issue between the US and Cuba, but an aggression against the Peoples and democratic values: organizations representing European and US society, political parties, associations of jurists, business executives, scientists and friends of Cuba call for an International Tribunal against the Blockade to be held on November 16 and 17, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.

The tribunal aims to denounce this illegal and inhumane policy and strengthen the anti-blockade movement in Europe and the U.S. We are confident that this action will serve to add new voices to the defense of democratic rights, sovereignty and freedom of peoples.

Convening organizations:

– International Association of Democratic Lawyers

– Left Group in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL.

– Party of the European Left

– Lawyers Forum of The Left-Democratic Lawyers

– Network (FAI-RADE) of Spain.

– National Lawyers Guild of the US.

– National Conference of Black Lawyers.

– Cuba Solidarity Movement in Europe

– National Network on Cuba from US

– Associations of Cubans Residing in Europe

– Trade Union Organizations in Europe

– American Association of Jurists