They urge the European Union to review agreement with Cuba before «Human Rights» on the island

The opposition coalition Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba urged the European Union to review the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement with Havana for considering that it has failed in the purpose of promoting political openness on the island.

«Instead of strengthening civil society, it has served to consolidate the power of the government over society, and not of society over the government» and to «normalize repression,» The advice said In a written statement.

The opposition coalition recognized the Sweden government efforts to promote within the European Union a review of the agreement.

The vice president of the Council for the Democratic Transition in Cuba, Manuel Cuesta Morúa, spoke with Martí News from Havana about the request to the European bloc.

“We have sent and released this document in which, given the involution in human rights, we are requesting and supporting the request made by the Swedish government of a review of the Agreement of Political Dialogue and Cooperation between Cuba and the European Union Human rights, ”he explained.

The Declaration of the Council indicates that although since its signature in 2016 the ADPC has been presented as a tool to promote dialogue, development and cooperation, «reality shows that the Cuban regime has instrumentalized this agreement to obtain economic benefits and sell a Image and narrative of modernization «.

The organization emphasizes that the Cuban State has not assumed real commitments with political openness, or with the improvement of human rights in the country, that their judgment «retreated at immense speed.»

«The Cuban government is aligned with the self -critics of the world and has decided to violate and violate that agreement. That is the reason we are making this request,» said Morúa Cuesta.

The Democratic Transition Council recalled that more than 1,400 political prisoners, including activists and journalists, remain imprisoned in Cuba after the announcement of the government of the release of 553 people, after negotiations with the Vatican. Other independent organizations have criticized that this It was not a real release and that about 200 liberated political prisoners weigh extremely restrictive conditions.

Another argument to request the review of the agreement with the EU was that of the increase in repression on the island, where the persecution, documented use of torture against opponents and the abuse in the prisons, in which they died around Seven prisoners in 2024, said the Council.

The organization proposed «reassess and temporarily suspend the ADPC until the Cuban regime demonstrates concrete advances in human rights and democracy» and conditioning future cooperation with the community block to the fulfillment of «democratic and economic standards», as well as transparency in the use of resources that directly benefit civil society, «and not to repressive state machinery.»

(Includes a report by Ariane González for Radio Martí)