Biden-Harris Administration Statement About Cuba At United Nations General Assembly Vote Should Have Been Accurate Rather Than Suggestively Misleading. Not The First Time.
/Biden-Harris Administration Statement About Cuba At United Nations General Assembly Vote Should Have Been Accurate Rather Than Misleading. Not The First Time- 23 February 2023 Too.
Link To Cuba United Nations General Assembly Resolution
Associated Press (2 November 2023): “The vote on the resolution in the 193-member General Assembly tied the record for support for the Caribbean island nation: The vote was 187 in favor, with the United States and Israel opposed, and Ukraine abstaining. Somalia, Venezuela and Moldova didn’t vote. The “yes” vote was up from 185 last year and 184 in 2021, and it tied the 2019 vote of 187.”
“2 November 2023
Ambassador Paul Folmsbee
Senior Advisor for Western Hemisphere Affairs
New York, New York
AS DELIVERED (emphasis added)
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you members of the General Assembly. The United States stands resolutely with the Cuban people. We strongly support their pursuit of a future with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Approximately 1,000 political prisoners remain behind bars in Cuba – more than at any point in Cuba’s recent history. Nearly 700 of those detentions owe to the historic July 11, 2021, protests during which members of civil society including human rights defenders, as well as minors of age, exercise their freedom of expression and right of peaceful assembly. We share the Cuban people’s dream of democracy in Cuba and join international partners in calling for the Cuban government to immediately release all those unjustly detained.
Despite Cuba’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council, the Cuban government has delayed responding to requests to send independent experts to Cuba, who would help advance respect for human rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of religion, or belief, and the freedom to assemble peacefully. Some of these requests have remained pending for 10 years.
Sanctions are one set of tools in our broader effort toward Cuba to advance democracy and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba. We therefore oppose this resolution.
We recognize the challenges the Cuban people face. That is why U.S. sanctions include exemptions and authorizations relating to the exports of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods to Cuba. The United States remains a significant source of humanitarian goods to the Cuban people and one of Cuba’s principal trading partners. In 2002* [*2022] alone, U.S. companies exported over $295 million worth of agricultural goods to Cuba, including food, to help meet the needs of the Cuban people.
The United States opposes this resolution. We encourage this body to urge the Cuban government to adhere to its human rights obligations and listen to the Cuban people and their aspirations to determine their own future. Thank you, Mr. President.”
Clarifications
The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000 re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural commodities from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, irrespective of purpose.
The Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992 re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis or with payment terms) export of healthcare products (medical equipment, medical instruments, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals) to the Republic of Cuba.
The export of agricultural commodities and food products and healthcare products are NOT a component of United States sanctions which the Biden-Harris Administration (2021- ) benevolently conveys upon the 11.3 million residents of the Republic of Cuba. The TSREEA and CDA are statutes, laws, passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by the president of the United States.
In 2022, United States-based companies exported US$328,536,988.00 in products using provisions of the TSREEA. Link To Statistics In PDF Format
Related Tweets From United States Department Of State
Misleading Tweet By Biden-Harris Department Of State Emulates Trump-Pence Department Of State. So Much For Wanting To Be Different. Channeling Michael Kozak. February 25, 2023
Two Tweets From US Assistant Secretary Of State Michael Kozak Devoid Of Important Context And Details; He's Done It Before April 11, 2020
Clarification To Tweet From Michael Kozak, US Assistant Secretary Of State About U.S. Exports To Cuba September 24, 2019
Export Data
The TSREEA re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural commodities from the United States to the Republic of Cuba, irrespective of purpose. The TSREEA does not include healthcare products, which remain authorized and regulated by the CDA.
The data represents the U.S. Dollar value of product exported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba under the TSREEA. The data does not include transportation charges, bank charges, or other costs associated with exports; the government of the Republic of Cuba reports unverifiable data that includes transportation charges, bank charges, and other costs.
HEALTHCARE PRODUCT EXPORTS- Exports of healthcare products (medical equipment, medical instruments, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals) to the Republic of Cuba are subject to provisions of the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992, which require end use-verification, but are not subject to cash-in-advance payment requirements. Exports have included: Medicaments (penicillin and insulin); Dentifrices (toothpastes); Laboratory regents; Ultrasonic scanning equipment; Artificial limbs; Medical appliances; Surgical appliances (dental); Ophthalmic (eye); Cannulae (tubing) and gelatin capsules.
HUMANITARIAN DONATIONS- Donated items are neither included in TSREEA nor CDA calculations. These items are generally delivered to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers or containers on vessels; do not include personal deliveries (by travelers on flights and through third countries). A substantial quantity and U.S. Dollar value of items categorized as “humanitarian” are transported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba using air carriers; thus, the information is not documented.
25 February 2023: Tweet By Biden-Harris Department Of State Emulates Trump-Pence Department Of State. So Much For Wanting To Be Different. Channeling Michael Kozak.
Tweet Published By The Embassy of the United States, Havana, Republic of Cuba (22 February 2023): “En 2021, Estados Unidos autorizó más de 4.200 millones de dólares en exportaciones humanitarias a Cuba. En 2022, autorizamos 7.600 millones de dólares de exportaciones humanitarias. Estas exportaciones tienen como objetivo ayudar directamente al pueblo cubano.”
English Translation (Google): “In 2021, the United States authorized more than $4.2 billion in humanitarian exports to Cuba. In 2022, we authorize $7.6 billion of humanitarian exports. These exports are intended to directly help the Cuban people.”
Follow-Up Email From The United States Department of State: “The 2022 figure is 7.6 billion dollars, the 2021 figure is 4.2 billion. These are figures reflect the combined value of all goods authorized for export from the US to Cuba including food, medicine, and everyday goods. These are not strictly confined to purchases from US companies but include humanitarian donations by individuals and organizations. The authorized figure does not necessarily reflect actual exports or donations.”
For perspective:
Agricultural Commodity/Food Commercial Exports Delivered To Cuba
2022- US$328,536,988.00
2021- US$304,774,413.00
For the period 2001 through 2022, from when the first agricultural commodity and food products were exported from the United States to the Republic of Cuba under provisions of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSREEA) of 2000, the value delivered was US$6,903,726,366.00.
Healthcare Products Commercial Exports Delivered To Cuba
2022- US$9,226,763.00
2021- US$487,886.00
For the period 2003 through 2022, the value of healthcare products (medical equipment, medical instruments, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals) delivered from the United States to the Republic of Cuba under provisions of the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992 was US$36,419,340.00.
Donations Delivered To Cuba
2022- US$30,083,306.00
2021- US$11,074,090.00
For the period 2014 through 2022, the value of humanitarian donations delivered from the United States to the Republic of Cuba was US$68,682,418.00.
Why did not the United States Department of State not include the details, the context, in its initial tweet? Because the intention was to deliberately mislead to the benefit of the Biden-Harris Administration (2021- ) and to the detriment of the Diaz-Canel-Valdes Mesa Administration (2019- ).
The message was designed to embarrass, humiliate the government of the Republic of Cuba. That objective is perfectly acceptable when using facts to support the goal. That objective is profoundly objectionable when using the imperator, the credibility of the government of the United States government.
The misuse of data in this manner permits the government of the Republic of Cuba to justifiably respond- it is accused by the United States Department of State of lying and misusing statistics and here the United States Department of State engages in equally egregious behavior.
This official statement from the United States Embassy in Havana, Republic of Cuba, is a repeat of what previous administrations have done- be reckless with the facts, and present information that they know fully is misleading. It’s disrespectful. It's disgraceful.
The Biden-Harris Administration knows that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the United States Department of Commerce has since the Bush-Cheney Administration (2001-2009) and during the Obama-Biden Administration (2009-2017), and Trump-Pence Administration (2017-2021) encouraged companies, organizations, and individuals who are exporting products from the United States to the Republic of Cuba- whether commercial (sold) or donated, not be required to seek a BIS license (if one is required) for the precise U.S. Dollar value of a particular shipment.
Rather, to reduce paperwork, the exporter is encouraged to bundle expectations. For example, if a company has an order for US$2 million in poultry, then the exporter might seek a license value of US$75 million or more or less so that if there are subsequent orders within the validity of the BIS license (usually three years to four years) additional BIS licenses are not required. Same is true for donations- if an organization is hopeful to have US$10 million, then include US$100 million or more or less in the BIS license application.
One example of how the data in the Tweet published on 22 February 2023 by the United States Department of State is misleading- the US$7.6 billion value is more than the value of all agricultural commodity, food product, healthcare product, and donations since December 2001.