CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Statement of Ambassador María de los Angeles Flórez, Permanent Delegate of Cuba to UNESCO.

Symposium on Freedom of Expression (26th January 2011)

Cuba is astonished by the invitation of Reporters Without Borders to speak about the Status of Press Freedom Worldwide at UNESCO House. It is surely no secret to anyone in this room that Reporters Without Borders, especially aimed to attack South countries, particularly those who have tried to do things for the benefit of their peoples and disagree with the current world order and oligopoly control of transnational of disinformation. Reporters Without Borders is an organization with double standards, while sitting as judge of world press freedom, is specialized in censorship and in the manufacture of media campaigns politically manipulated. Reporters Without Borders has a geopolitical agenda and has publicly acknowledged to have received funds from the CIA and other US agencies and foundations strictly linked to the US foreign policy. For its activities contrary to the aims and purposes of the UN, its consultative relationships with United Nations were suspended in 2003, and in 2008 UNESCO itself withdrew its support because of they were organizing events to attack Third World countries.

Given the bad reputation of Reporters Without Borders, is advisable that UNESCO revise carefully the responsibility and ethical behavior of media and information sources the Organization utilize to disseminate official information on its Member States. Taking into account that UNESCO is a UN intergovernmental organization which shall respect the sovereignty of its 193 Member States, we would like to ask a question to the Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders. If you are really the guardians of the press freedom worldwide, why does your NGO remain silent under flagrant violations such as:

1)         On January 11th 2011, Google closed down the YouTube channel operated by Cubadebate.cu due to an alleged violation of copyright laws. Google shut down the Cubadebate You tube channel because it showed a video that had been edited "from much broader material which circulated on the web and had been broadcast in various sites, without an author. We complain with great determination over the Google’s censorship and its attack on freedom of expression against an alternative site in a blockaded country, whose Internet access comes via satellite and which does not have the resources to have its own multimedia servers.

Google move also shut down access to more than 400 videos stored on the Cubadebate YouTube channel since it was launched almost three years ago, with 1.6 million downloads since then. Another sample of Google censorship was the temporarily suspension of the blog of a Cuban journalist on blog.com, last year.  
Political manipulation of information and the connivance of the mass media are becoming extreme. Campaigns backed by multi-million funds and using the most sophisticated means are being pursued. We are witnessing media terrorism - the 21st century's most effective weapon in the hands of the powerful.
With regard to the so called “dissidents”, essential elements in the US policy have been the attempts to fabricate a fifth column of mercenaries at their service. Those who have brought the practice of lying to a level of State policy do not have qualms about generously labeling them political dissidents, human rights defenders and independent journalists. We will not renounce our legitimate defense, and it will be done resorting to the strength of the truth and in conformity with our laws. Cuba does not accept any interference in its internal affairs. Cuba knows that she is defending the right of respect for sovereignty and self-determination for herself and for all the peoples of the world.

Paris, 26th January 2011

(Cubaminrex-CNCU)