Capítulos

Special Edition 1996

Decision 377:
Need to put an end to the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the Government of the United States of America against Cuba XXII Latin American Council

Document

Having seen:

Items a) and b) of Article 3, Article 4 and items 1(1) and 4 of Article 5 of the Panama Convention;

Decision No. 112 regarding the «Imposition of Economic Measures of a Coercive Nature»;

Decisions No. 356 and 360 that reject the application of unilateral measures affecting the free development of international trade and violating international law and the most basic principles of regional harmonious relations;

Resolutions 47/19 of 24 November 1992, 48/16 of 3 November 1993, 49/9 of 26 October 1994 and 50/10 of 2 November 1995, issued by the United Nations General Assembly which request putting an end to the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba;

The document of the Permanent Secretariat (SP/CL/XXII.O/DT No. 9) «Legal and Economic Impact of the Helms-Burton Act. Elements for an analysis from a Latin American and Caribbean standpoint.»

The declaratons formulated to this date by the Summit of Heads of Government of Canada and the Caribbean Community (March); by the Rio Group - European Union institutional Ministerial Meeting (April); by the Central American Presidents, Prime Minister of Belize and Prime Minister of Canada (May); by the Association of Caribbean States (May); by the Latin American Integration Association (June); by Mexico (August) and by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Rio Group (September) which reject any unilateral imposition against the internationally accepted principles, regulations and practices for free trade and investments.

Considering:

The need to reaffirm, among other principles, the sovereign equality of the States, the non-interference in their internal affairs and the freedom of trade and of navigation adopted in various international legal instruments.

That despite the rejection of the international community, on March 12, 1996, the President of the United States of America decided to sign into law the so-called «Helms-Burton Act» whose objective is to increase the effects of the economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba, and whose extraterritorial nature affects the sovereignty of other States as well as the interests of entities and persons under their jurisdiction.

Decides:

Article 1. To reaffirm its most energetic rejection to the so-called «Helms-Burton Act» of the Congress of the United States of America for overlooking the fundamental principle of respect sovereignty; contravening the rules governing the harmonious relations among the States; imposing extraterritorial unilateral sanctions and flagrantly violating International Law and the principles and rules governing international trade.

Article 2. To reiterate its position in favor of the immediate lifting of the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba and to urge the Government of the United States of America to abrogate the so-called «Helms-Burton Act».

Article 3. To promote among the Member States the official exchange of information and experiences in creating and applying the so-called «antidote laws or mirror laws» to the so-called «Helms-Burton Act».

Article 4. To request, that the Permanent Secretariat continue examining this matter of particular importance in the external relations of the region and keep the Latin American Council informed about its development.

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