Cubans: The Real Story. What about Canada?

Michael Lima, Dir of Democratic Spaces during his presentation on the urgent need to reformulate Canada’s foreign policy on Cuba in light of the escalating repression levels including the more than 1,000 political prisoners and the Cuban regime’s alliances with China and Russia.

Video of the event: the The Real Story. Event in Ottawa, Canada. Nov 21. 2023.

By Michael Lima. November 29, 2023.

On November 21, 2023 Michael Lima, Director of Democratic Spaces presented a paper on the human rights situation in Cuba, and the regime’s alliances with Russia and China with a special focus on the urgent need for Canada to reformulate its foreign policy on Cuba. The paper offered key recommendations for Canada to help advance human rights in Cuba.

The event titled “Cubans: the Real Story. What about Canada? was organized by Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat and hosted by Garnett Genuis, Member of Parliament. it was dedicated to the memory of Luis Barrios, a Cuban political prisoner who passed away on November 18 2023 due to the deliberate denial of medical attention by the dictatorship and unjust imprisonment.

From left to right Garnett Genuis, Member of Parliament (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan), Orlando Gutiérrez-Boronat, Coordinator of the National Assembly of Resistance and Michael Lima, Director of Democratic Spaces. Ottawa. Canada. Nov 21. 2023

The event served as a crucial platform to call on parliamentarians from both the Conservative and Liberal parties, urging Canada to urgently change its foreign policy towards Cuba in light of the escalating repression on the island. The dictatorship has turned Cuba into the largest jailer of political prisoners in the hemisphere, and it bears direct responsibility for its asymmetrical warfare against Ukraine.

In Michael LIma’s presentation references were made to the inconsistencies in Canada's foreign policy, highlighting its prioritization of trade and financial dealings with the dictatorship over the promotion of human rights.

We reiterated our call to the Canadian government to sanction high ranking regime officials in Cuba in the same manner Canada has imposed targeted sanctions on Belarusian regime officials for supporting Vladimir Putin in the invasion of Ukraine.

It is time for Canada to align itself with the historic moment the Cuban people are facing. Just as Canada initiates actions for the release of political prisoners in other countries with dictatorships worldwide, it should do the same for Cuban political prisoners, both in parliamentary calls and international forums. We remind Canada that political imprisonment constitutes the greatest humanitarian catastrophe for thousands of Cuban families.

Ottawa. Canada. Nov 21. 2023. Event Cubans: The Real Story. What About Canada.? Photo from left to right. Michael Lima, Dir of Democratic Spaces; Orlando Gutiérrez Boronat, coordinador of the Assembly of National Resistance; Garnett Genuis, MP (Conservative) Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan; The Honorable Judy Sgro (Liberal ), MP Humber River - Black Creek; Stephanie Kusie, MP (Conservative ), Calgary-MIdnapore, Anna Roberts. MP (Conservative ) King-Vaughn, Tony Baldinelli, MP (Conservative);, Niagara Falls,; Brad Redekopp, MP (Conservative), Saskatoon-West; Arnold Viersen, MP (Conservative), Peace River-Westlock.

Additionally, we urged Canada to break decades of only listening to businesspeople, academics, and others with direct ties to the Cuban dictatorship. Canada should open both its parliament and embassy in Cuba to hear the voices of human rights activists, independent journalists, and all those, both inside and outside, who are fighting for freedom and democracy in Cuba.

I appreciate the positive engagement of present parliamentarians, such as MP Garnett Genuis, who showed great interest in the support the Cuban regime provides to Russia and potential actions Canada could take in response to these alliances.

Parliamentarian Stephanie Kusie spoke about the historical commitment of the Conservative Party since the era of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to the cause of democracy and human rights in Cuba.

International solidarity is essential for the success of any peaceful pro-democracy movement. Therefore, we extend this call that we have made to Canada to the European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore, so that during his visit to Cuba, he meets with activists on the island and publicly advocates for the release of Cuban political prisoners.

From left to right, Michael Lima, Dir of Democratic Spaces and Shuvaloy Majumdar, Member of Parliament for Calgary-Heritage.

Un evento de gran importancia para buscar en Canadá solidaridad con la causa de la democracia, la libertad y los derechos humanos en Cuba. El evento fue dedicado a Luis Barrios, preso político cubano encarcelado injustamente y en represalia por ejercer su derecho a manifestarse pacíficamente en las protestas prodemocráticas del 11J y quien murió por negación deliberada de atención médica por parte de la dictadura cubana.

En mi presentación le hice un llamado a Canadá a que considere la urgencia de cambiar su política exterior hacia Cuba ante el aumento de la represión en la isla y el hecho de que la dictadura cubana ha convertido a la isla en el mayor carcelero de presos políticos de las Américas con más de 1,000 prisioneros por razones políticas.

Además, expuse la necesidad de un cambio en la política exterior canadiense ante las alianzas del régimen cubano con Rusia y China, dos de los mayores enemigos de la libertad a nivel global. Canadá tiene inconsistencias significativas en su política exterior a Cuba. Por ejemplo, impone sanciones individualizadas contra funcionarios de Bielorrusia por ayudar al régimen de Putin en la invasión a Ucrania y no hace lo mismo con el ministro de las Fuerzas Armadas y miembros del régimen cubano que realizan una tarea similar.

Valoro como muy positivo la interacción de parlamentarios presentes como por ejemplo el MP Garnett Genuis quien mostró gran interés en el apoyo que el régimen cubano ofrece a Rusia y posibles acciones de Canadá ante estas alianzas. La parlamentaria Stephanie Kusie nos habló del compromiso histórico del partido conservador desde la era del primer ministro Stephen Harper con la causa de la democracia y los derechos humanos en Cuba. De mi parte les hice un llamado en base a conversaciones que sostuve con activistas y periodistas independientes en Cuba a que el gobierno de Canadá haga accesible su embajada en la Habana para reunirse con activistas de derechos humanos, periodistas independientes, familiares de presos políticos, y escuche lo que ellos tienen que expresar sobre la realidad de opresión en Cuba.

Les hice un llamado especial a que Canadá utilice el parlamento y foros internacionales para hacer un llamado al régimen de Cuba a que libere a todos los presos políticos cubanos como lo ha hecho con otras naciones en dictadura. La mayor tragedia humanitaria que enfrentan las familias cubanas es el encarcelamiento de miles de presos políticos.

Michael Lima is a human rights activist and an expert in Cuban and Latin American history and politics. He has lectured on modern Latin American history, holds a Master’s Degree/Ph.D. candidacy in Latin American History from the University of Toronto, and is the founder of Democratic Spaces, an NGO seeking solidarity in Canada with human rights defenders and civil society in Cuba.