CUBA: The United Nations Human Rights Commission kept up the pressure on Cuba over its rights record yesterday by urging it to accept a visit by a UN envoy to investigate alleged abuses.
But the 53-state commission rejected a tougher resolution from Costa Rica, backed by Washington and the EU, demanding freedom for some 75 dissidents recently given lengthy jail terms.
Presented by four Latin American countries - Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Uruguay - the approved text merely called on Cuba to accept a commission decision taken last year that the envoy should visit.
Cuba has so far refused to let French magistrate Ms Christine Chanet into the country because it says the UN should focus instead on the US Guantanamo naval base, where Washington is holding captives whom it suspects of terrorism.
Mexico, one of 11 countries on the commission to back the call for the envoy's visit, said the "procedural" measure aimed only at winning co-operation from Cuba. "The Mexican vote will be consistent with its principles not to condemn or to criticise Cuba," said Ms Mariclaire Acosta, Mexico's Deputy Minister for Human Rights and Democracy.
But Cuba, which sees the vote as interference in its domestic affairs, condemned the four Latin American countries behind the resolution, calling them "disgusting lackeys" who had bowed to "shameful" pressure from Washington.
"The sole object has been to concoct a pretext to justify the genocidal blockade and policies of aggression that the United States has practised for 40 years," Cuban ambassador Mr Jorge Ivan Mora Godoy told the commission ahead of the vote.
Votes on Cuba are traditionally amongst the most politically charged at the annual meetings of the commission, with Latin American countries, even those most closely aligned with Washington, feeling that they have to tread carefully.
Argentina and Brazil both abstained, while Venezuela joined Cuba in voting against the motion. It was approved by 24 votes to 20, with nine abstentions. The decision came only after the Costa Rican amendment condemning the recent jailing of dissidents for up to 28 years, and another draft presented by Cuba condemning the US economic embargo, were both defeated.