Spain, Mexico, Brazil urge Washington to engage in ‘respectful dialogue’ with Cuba

Spain, Mexico and Brazil urged the US on Saturday to engage in “a sincere and respectful dialogue” with Cuba, warning of a worsening humanitarian situation on the island.

The trio of governments said that they “express our deep concern regarding the serious humanitarian crisis the Cuban people faces,” urging “the necessary measures to be taken to alleviate this situation.”

They cautioned against “actions that worsen the living conditions of the population or contravene international law,” while pledging “to step up our coordinated humanitarian response aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Cuban people.”

The countries also stressed the importance of international norms, saying they “reiterate the need to respect at all times international law and the principles of territorial integrity, sovereign equality and the peaceful settlement of disputes,” as enshrined in the UN Charter.

Calling for diplomacy, they said they “reaffirm our unwavering commitment to human rights, democratic values and multilateralism,” and urged dialogue “in accordance with international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.”

“The aim must be to find a lasting solution to the current situation and to ensure that it is the Cuban people themselves who decide their future in complete freedom,” it added.

Cuba has faced a prolonged economic crisis marked by fuel shortages, rolling blackouts and limited access to food and medicine. Cuban officials attribute much of the hardship to decades-long US sanctions, while American officials argue that structural economic issues are to blame.