The Cuban government recognized 10 cases of human trafficking that occurred in the country in 2021 and reiterated its “zero tolerance” policy towards this scourge in a report on the subject published this Friday by the island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Just one day after the UN General Assembly rejected the United States embargo on the Caribbean nation for the thirtieth time, this document comes to light, exposing the human trafficking cases attempted in Cuba during that time and the “small… frequency” of this “serious crime” on Cuban territory, which he attributes to the preventive measures taken by the authorities and social organizations.
According to the report, 10 victims were identified last year – all girls – of human trafficking-related phenomena such as pimping and underage corruption, and criminal penalties for perpetrators ranged from 5 to 20 years in prison.
Of the 12 defendants identified in these cases, 5 are men and 7 are women. Judging by the numbers, more than one person was involved in some of the events.
National report from #Cuba🇨🇺 on human trafficking 2021.
Our country has maintained its “zero tolerance” policy towards any form of human trafficking.
🔗https://t.co/KsxtzgUJ7B pic.twitter.com/4xEmC0qWCh
— Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@CubaMINREX) November 4, 2022
According to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), no cases of human trafficking have been identified either in tourist facilities or in relation to work.
However, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes that “there are occurrences of foreigners interacting with young prostitutes in exchange for gifts and phone top-ups, as well as online advertising and online sales of videos and images with sexual content, for which payment is made through bank transfers from the outside and inside of the country.
In addition, the report specifies that “criminal acts aimed at recruiting young people, mainly women, by foreign and Cuban businessmen to work in bars and nightclubs in Russia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the United Arabs, Japan, China and Cyprus,” adding that “3 foreigners were followed up” in this regard.
The text also ensures that “the various legal instruments in force in the country make it possible to prevent and combat human trafficking and related behaviors such as pimping, child pornography and prostitution, in accordance with the spirit of the Palermo Convention, its protocols and others for the Republic International instruments applicable to Cuba”.
He later accused the United States government of “discrediting Cuba’s international cooperation by labeling medical cooperation as a manifestation of human trafficking.” In this sense, she opposes the “unfair inclusion of Cuba in Level 3 of the human trafficking report published by the US State Department,” which she sees as “defamation of the Cuban public health system and its highly respected personnel,” according to the world.
Cuba remains on the US human trafficking blacklist
In its most recent list on the matter, Washington noted that while Havana has taken “some steps” to address human trafficking, such as investigating, prosecuting, and convicting traffickers, it also adheres to a “government policy or pattern of performance.” the export programs for workers “with strong references” to forced labor.
In addition, he pointed out that the island’s authorities continue to “use Cuban workers abroad with fraudulent and coercive tactics” and fail to address “labor rights violations and human trafficking crimes,” something the Cuban government has repeatedly denied and considers part of a campaign against him and in particular bring its medical cooperation programs into disrepute.