In light of the resolution regarding Cuba adopted by the European Parliament on March 11th, on behalf of intellectuals, academics, activists, artists, and critical thinkers who belong to the Network in Defense of Humanity we declare:

 
1.    That we share the sensibilities expressed by European parlamentarians regarding political prisoners, and join them in calling for the unconditional liberation of all political prisoners, throughout the world, including those held by countries which are members of the European Union.

2. That we also join them in profounding regretting the death of the convicted criminal named Orlando Zapata, but refuse to permit that his death, the first of its kind "...in almost 40 years" in Cuba,  be manipulated for political motives very different from and contrary to those related to the defense of human rights.

3.  That to encourage "..European institutions to give unconditional support and encouragement to the initiation of a peaceful process of political transition towards a multi-party democracy in Cuba" is not only an interventionist act, which we reject given our commitment to the anti-colonial principles of non-intervention and self-determination of all peoples, which are also defended by the UN. Such measures assume a uni-dimensional model of democracy which in practice continuously demonstrates its inadequacies and ineffectiveness, and which thus must be questioned. Efforts to deepen the reach of democracy presuppose, among other things, the need to transcend its formalistic dimensions and the creation of new forms which are authentically representative. These do not necessarily include the characteristics of multi-party régimes, which as is well known often disguise the fact that decisions are made arbitrarily, behind the scenes, by small interest groups with immense power, regardless of pluralist symbolism.  

4. That to seek to justify intervention in the internal political affairs of the Cuban people through media manipulation of the case of Orlando Zapata- a common criminal and not a political prisoner- reflects the same kind of counter-insurgent policies which have been applied in Latin America to halt or distort ongoing processes of political emancipation and adds further to the criminal blockade to which the Cuban people have been subjected, simply because they have refused to accept impositions from the outside and defnded their right to determine their destiny with dignity and independence.

5.    That we share the concerns expressed by the European parlamentarians regarding the need to respect human rights in Cuba but extend this concern throughout the world. So just as they have evidenced concern regarding the death of the convicted criminal named Orlando Zapata (without precedent in 40 years), we also invite them to demand the end of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the systematic harassment of the Palestinian people, which has produced not one but thousands of deaths; of the U.S. intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan which has sowed terror and death in their people and communities; of the bombardments in those places undertaken in supposed defense of demicracy; the end of Haiti´s double occupation; the closing of the U.S prison and military base in Guántanamo and the return of its territory to Cuba; the return of the Malvinas to Argentina, and necessarily of course the end of the Cuban blockade which violates the human rights of the Cuban people and which places in doubt the moral legitimacy of those who demand humane treatment for a criminal but deny it to an entire people. 

The economic and media persecution to which Cuba is being subjected, since much before the death of Orlando Zapata, in itself constitutes an affront to the human and political rights of a people who have chosen a different path. We demand respect for the internal processes of the Cuban people to define and exercise their democracy in conformity with the universal principles of non-intervention agreed upon by the UN.

Red En defensa de la Humanidad/Network in DefenseofHumanity

Pablo González Casanova, Víctor Flores Olea, Ana Esther Ceceña