IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 527 
Expressing solidarity with the Cuban people in their demands for freedom 
and respect for basic human rights. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 13, 2021 
Mr. DIAZ-BALART (for himself, Mr. SCALISE, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. MCCAUL, 
Mr. NUNES, Mr. GREEN of Tennessee, Mr. MOONEY, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. 
GIMENEZ, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, Mrs. CAMMACK, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, 
Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, Mr. WALTZ, 
Mr. POSEY, Mr. MAST, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. DUNN, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. 
DONALDS, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mr. 
GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. TIFFANY, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N, 
Ms. CHENEY, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. ISSA, and Mr. BARR) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing solidarity with the Cuban people in their demands 
for freedom and respect for basic human rights. 
Whereas the Communist dictatorship in Cuba has been re-
sponsible for numerous atrocities including the extrajudi-
cial assassinations of innocent civilians and activists by 
firing squad and other brutal methods, including the 
Tugboat Massacre of 1994 and the Brothers to the Res-
cue Shoot-Down of 1996; 
Whereas, in the notorious Black Spring of 2003, the regime 
engaged in brutal violence to attack independent journal-
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ists, human rights activists, and others who dared to ex-
pose the realities of totalitarian Cuba which was roundly 
condemned by international human rights groups; 
Whereas human rights activists such as Pedro Luis Boitel, 
Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, leader of the Ladies in 
White, Laura Pollan, Orlando Zapata Tamayo, Wilman 
Willar Mendoza, Oswaldo Paya, Harold Cepero, Armando 
Sosa Fortuny, and Yosvany Arostegui Armenteros died 
under suspicious circumstances, some while in state cus-
tody; 
Whereas the State Department’s 2020 Country Report on 
Human Rights Practices in Cuba states, ‘‘Significant 
human rights issues included: unlawful or arbitrary 
killings, including extrajudicial killings, by the govern-
ment; forced disappearance by the government; torture 
and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment of political 
dissidents, detainees, and prisoners by security forces; 
harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary ar-
rests and detentions; political prisoners; significant prob-
lems with the independence of the judiciary; and arbi-
trary or unlawful interference with privacy. Freedom of 
the press functionally did not exist. Criminal libel laws 
were used against persons who criticized government 
leadership. The government engaged in censorship and 
internet site blocking, and there were severe limitations 
on academic and cultural freedom. There were severe re-
strictions on the right of peaceful assembly and denial of 
freedom of association, including refusal to recognize 
independent associations. There were severe restrictions 
on religious freedom. There were restrictions on internal 
and external freedom of movement. Citizens were unable 
to change their government through free and fair elec-
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tions. Political participation was restricted to members of 
the ruling party. There was official corruption; traf-
ficking in persons, including compulsory labor; and out-
lawing of independent trade unions.’’; 
Whereas the State Department’s 2021 Trafficking in Persons 
Report lists Cuba as a Tier 3 country, the lowest possible 
rating, stating that ‘‘there was a government policy or 
government pattern to profit from labor export programs 
with strong indications of forced labor, particularly its 
foreign medical missions program’’, and that the regime’s 
exploitative policies toward the program participants in-
clude withholding passports, keeping most of the profes-
sionals’ salaries, preventing access to contract terms, and 
threatening the professionals’ families; 
Whereas, in January 2019, Secretary General Luis Almagro 
of the Organization of American States stated that, ‘‘The 
Cuban dictatorship has failed in access to rights and eq-
uity, its productive system has failed, its financial man-
agement has failed, its management of the economy has 
failed and the only way to melt away its social defi-
ciencies is to push its people into exile; it is a system that 
is incapable of giving dignified and honest work to its 
people, that is unable to open its youth to enterprise, un-
able to generate a competitive productive system and un-
able to achieve solutions for the simplest financial 
issues’’; 
Whereas the Independent Trade Union Association of Cuba 
(Asociacio´n Sindical Independiente de Cuba, ASIC) has 
filed complaints with the International Labour Organiza-
tion (ILO) condemning violations of fundamental labor 
rights such as freedom of assembly and repression 
against labor activist Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, and in re-
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sponse, the ILO provided recommendations on March 24, 
2021, to address these human rights abuses; 
Whereas Freedom House rates Cuba as ‘‘Not Free’’ in both 
of its 2021 reports ‘‘Freedom in the World’’ and ‘‘Free-
dom on the Net,’’ and further summarizes that, ‘‘Cuba 
is a one-party communist state that outlaws political plu-
ralism, suppresses dissent, and severely restricts basic 
civil liberties’’; 
Whereas the United States has long supported the Cuban 
people with policies that limit hard currency to their op-
pressors while providing democracy-building support to 
civil society activists, permitting virtually unlimited dona-
tions of food, medicines, and other necessities through 
Acts such as the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act, the 
Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act, the Cuban Democ-
racy Act of 1992, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Sol-
idarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, the Trade Sanctions 
Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, as well as 
Executive orders and regulations; 
Whereas numerous activists in Cuba such as members of the 
Patriotic Union of Cuba, the San Isidro Movement, the 
Christian Liberation Movement, ASIC, the Ladies in 
White, the Orlando Zapata Tamayo National Resistance 
Front, religious organizations, exile groups, and many 
others are demanding freedom for the Cuban people; 
Whereas the regime in Cuba has responded to protests with 
shutting down internet access, acts of repudiation, arbi-
trary arrests, and intimidation; 
Whereas the Cuban dictatorship has employed so-called 
‘‘Committees for the Defense of the Revolution’’ to force 
neighbors to spy and turn against each other, which has 
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spread distrust and fear among the Cuban people, and an 
environment that is deleterious to a strong social fabric 
and thriving civil society; 
Whereas, on July 11, 2021, thousands of courageous pro-
testers gathered throughout the island, in every Province, 
to demand ‘‘libertad,’’ human rights, and to express their 
opposition to the Cuban dictatorship; 
Whereas the regime once again reacted to the July 11 pro-
tests with violence, arbitrary arrests, often by plain 
clothes state security operatives, forced disappearances, 
shutting down internet access, and calling on its sup-
porters to harass protesters; and 
Whereas since Fidel Castro illegitimately and violently seized 
power, hundreds of thousands of Cuban nationals have 
fled Communist oppression: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) calls for the release of all political prisoners 
and for the end of acts of repression, arbitrary 
imprisonments, torture, and other human rights 
abuses against the Cuban people; 
(2) honors the courageous Cuban people for 
daring to stand up to the Cuban regime and de-
manding respect for fundamental freedoms, such as 
freedom of expression and assembly; 
(3) recognizes the brave prodemocracy and 
human rights activists, including independent jour-
nalists, artists, labor leaders, and religious leaders, 
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who have been persecuted throughout decades of 
Communist tyranny; 
(4) urges other democracies, regional and multi-
lateral organizations to affirm that violence against 
the unarmed people of Cuba will not be tolerated, 
and that human rights abusers will be held account-
able for their crimes; 
(5) expresses solidarity with the long-suffering 
Cuban people in their demands for a genuine demo-
cratic transition; and 
(6) calls on the international community to 
stand with those struggling for freedom in Cuba by 
condemning repression and expressing unequivocal 
support for their rights to self-governance, human 
rights, and basic liberties. 
Æ 
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