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By Lisa J. Adams, Associated Press Writer. Tue Apr 16,12:53
AM ET
MEXICO CITY - Mexico said Monday that it would support a U.N. resolution
censuring Cuba for its human rights record, an announcement likely to further
strain Mexico's ties with the communist island.
The resolution, expected to be voted on by the U.N. Human Rights Commission
later this week in Geneva, recognizes social progress in Cuba but urges the
government "to make efforts to obtain similar advances in the area of
human, civil and political rights."
The measure also asks Cuba to allow a U.N. human rights representative to
visit the island to help officials comply with the resolution — a
suggestion Cuba angrily rejected last week.
Mexico, the only Latin American country that ignored U.S. pressure to break
diplomatic ties after Cuban President Fidel Castro 's 1959 revolution, has
traditionally abstained from the annual vote.
A news release issued by President Vicente Fox 's office noted that the
government would depart from that tradition to support this year's
Uruguay-sponsored resolution, which "instead of containing the condemnation
of past years, assumes a constructive and cooperative focus."
Speaking in the border city of Tijuana, Fox said the resolution was "not
a condemnation, but a positive declaration for human rights." He added that
Mexico is also supporting the measure because it condemns the U.S. economic
blockade against Cuba.
Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castaneda said late Monday that the
decision to support the censure did not represent a shift in Mexican policy
toward Cuba.
"There will perhaps be some disagreements about this issue, but our
relationship with Cuba remains strong," Castaneda told Mexico City's TV
Azteca, adding that the resolution was "a positive and constructive call to
Cuba that is not critical in any way."
Despite such explanations, Cuban officials — and Mexicans themselves —
are likely to see the move as one more step away from the country's traditional
unwavering support for the island nation.
"I think it's a huge departure from past policy and I think it's one
that going to generate a firestorm of controversy in Mexico," said M. Delal
Baer, a Mexico specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
in Washington.
Cuban officials already have accused Castaneda — a former
communist-turned-Castro critic — of abandoning Cuba, alleging that he bowed
to U.S. pressure last month by arranging for Castro's early departure from a
U.N. development summit in the northern city of Monterrey.
Castaneda has denied exerting pressure on Castro and said that U.S.
officials have not pressured Mexico to distance itself from Cuba.
"I, at no time, have spoken with anyone in Washington about our
relationship with Cuba," Castaneda said Monday.
Despite Castaneda's denials, the Communist Party newspaper Granma responded
by calling Castaneda a liar and the "diabolical and cynical architect"
of the Cuban leader's sudden exit.
Cuba insists that the United States pressured Uruguay to sponsor this year's
human rights measure — and is likely to accuse Mexico of caving in to U.S.
interests by supporting it.
The United States has introduced similar proposals in the past, but this
year is not a member of the Human Rights Commission for the first time since
1947. U.S. officials have denied they had a hand in drafting the resolution.
Mexico says it will support Uruguayan resolution on human rights in Cuba
By Lisa J. Adams, Associated Press Writer. Mon Apr 15,11:50
PM ET
MEXICO CITY - In a move likely to send an icy chill over already-cooling
Mexico-Cuba relations, the government announced Monday that it would support a
U.N. resolution censuring the communist island for its human rights record.
The resolution, which is likely to be voted on by the U.N. Human Rights
Commission later this week in Geneva, recognizes the social rights that Cuba has
provided its people "despite an adverse international environment,"
but invites the government "to make efforts to obtain similar advances in
the area of human, civil and political rights."
The measure also asks Cuba to allow a U.N. human rights representative to
visit the island to help officials comply with the resolution — a
suggestion Cuba angrily rejected last week.
Mexico, the only Latin American country that ignored U.S. pressure to break
diplomatic ties after Cuban President Fidel Castro 's 1959 revolution, has
traditionally abstained from the annual vote.
A news release issued by President Vicente Fox 's office noted that the
government would depart from that tradition to support this year's
Uruguay-sponsored resolution, which "instead of containing the condemnation
of past years, assumes a constructive and cooperative focus."
Speaking at an event in the border city of Tijuana, Fox said the resolution
was "not a condemnation, but a positive declaration for human rights."
He added that Mexico is also supporting the measure because it condemns the U.S.
economic blockade against Cuba.
In an interview with Mexico City's TV Azteca late Monday night, Foreign
Relations Secretary Jorge Castaneda said the decision to support the censure did
not represent a shift in Mexican policy toward Cuba.
"There will perhaps be some disagreements about this issue, but our
relationship with Cuba remain strong," Castaneda said, adding that the
resolution was "a positive and constructive call to Cuba that is not
critical in any way."
Despite such explanations, Cuban officials — and Mexicans themselves —
are likely to see the move as one more step away from the country's traditional
unwavering support for the island nation.
"I think it's a huge departure from past policy and I think it's one
that going to generate a firestorm of controversy in Mexico," said M. Delal
Baer, a Mexico specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
in Washington.
Cuban officials already have accused Castaneda — a former
communist-turned-Castro critic — of abandoning Cuba, alleging that he bowed
to U.S. pressure last month by arranging for Castro's early departure from a
U.N. development summit in the northern city of Monterrey.
Castaneda has denied exerting pressure on Castro and said that U.S.
officials have not pressured Mexico to distance itself from Cuba.
"I, at no time, have spoken with anyone in Washington about our
relationship with Cuba," Castaneda said Monday.
Despite Castaneda's denials, the Communist Party newspaper Granma responded
by calling Castaneda a liar and the "diabolical and cynical architect"
of the Cuban leader's sudden exit.
Opposition politicians in Mexico also acted with outrage, demanding that
Castaneda provide an explanation, while daily newspapers ran editorial cartoons
portraying him and the Mexican president as patsies of the U.S. government.
Cuba insists that the United States pressured Uruguay to sponsor this year's
human rights measure — and is likely to accuse Mexico of caving in to U.S.
interests by supporting it.
The United States has introduced similar proposals in the past, but this
year is not a member of the Human Rights Commission for the first time since
1947. U.S. officials have denied that they had a hand in drafting the
resolution.
Mexico's foreign-policy change of heart may be due more to the evolution of
its nascent democracy than any pressure from its northern neighbor.
"Mexico has abstained for many years in the past without complicating
its relationship with the United States and it would have been able to do so
again," Baer said. "Obviously, Mexico has been trying to forge a new
policy toward Castro and this is a logical conclusion of that trend."
Support for the measure "is consistent with Mexico's new democratic
order."
Besides, Baer added, "I think that they believe that they no longer
have anything to lose with Cuba after the Monterrey fiasco." | 
