The current government of Cuba is excluded from participation in the Organization of American States under a decision adopted by the Eighth Meeting of Consultation in Punta del Este, Uruguay, on 21 January 1962. Cuba is a republic led by President Fidel Castro, who is Chief of State, Head of Government, First Secretary of the CPC, and commander in chief of the armed forces. ... The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. Its members are the 35 independent nations of the Americas. ... Department Maldonado Department Altitude 0m Coordinates 34º 58S 54º 57W Founded 1907 Population 8,252 (2004) Demonym puntaesteño Phone Code +042 Postal Code 20100 Skyline of Punta del Este looking from Punta Ballena Image:Sunrise punta ballena 2006 january. ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

Pre revolution background

Cuba was one of the 21 initial members of the OAS upon foundation in Bogotá on 5 May 1948. The association, first led by U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall, was created "to achieve an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence." Nickname: Athens of Latin America Motto: Bogotá, 2600 metros más cerca de las estrellas Bogotá, 2600 metres closer to the stars Municipalities of Bogotá Country Colombia Department Bogotá, D.C.* Foundation August 6, 1538 Mayor Luís Eduardo Garzón, PDA Area    - City 1,732 km² Elevation 2,640... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... For other people named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ...

Post revolution relations

Following the Cuban Revolution of 1959, relations between Cuba and the United States began to deteriorate rapidly. Intially, however, the nations that comprised the Organization of American States were reluctant to be drawn on the issue of Cuba's representation at the organisation. The United States favoured collective action against Cuba with the stated aim, as forwarded by President Kennedy, of isolating Cuba politically and economically. At a meeting of foreign ministers in August 1960, most nations refused to comment on the status of Cuba. Some, like Mexico and Argentina were adamant to remain impartial and stressed that the issue was a private quarrel between Cuba and the United States.^[1] The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolutionary war in Cuba culminating in the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista’s government on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement and other revolutionary elements in the country. ... Cuba and the United States of America have had a mutual interest in one another since well before either of their independence movements. ... The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. Its members are the 35 independent nations of the Americas. ... JFK redirects here. ...

In 1961, Venezuela and Colombia broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba and a new meeting was called between the OAS nations. By a vote of 14 to 2, with five nations abstaining, the OAS timetabled a council meeting for January 1962. In the build up to that meeting Argentinian President Frondizi outlined his reservations to Washington's plans, stating that the U.S. were "obsessed with Cuba at the expense of the needs of the hemisphere" and that retaliation against the island would only strengthen Fidel Castro. States were also concerned about how any anti-Cuban measure would be perceived by the largely pro-Castro populations of Latin America. Pressure from the United States continued via U.S. ambassador to the OAS deLesseps Morrison. ^[1] Arturo Frondizi Ercoli (October 28, 1908 - April 18, 1995) was the President of Argentina between 1 May 1958 and 29 March 1962 for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... de Lesseps Story Morrison (1912 January 18–1964 May 22) was a U.S. political figure. ...

Punta del Este gathering

On 21 January 1962 the OAS held the Eighth Meeting of Consultation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Punta del Este, Montevideo. The United States had encouraged Central American representatives to advocate a hard line against Cuba, and to walk out if sanctions were not tabled. Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador were opposed to sanctions, Uruguay and Haiti were uncertain. Dean Rusk was hopeful that 14 votes, two thirds of the council would suffice to ensure U.S. policy in the region. After initial talks, the foreign minister of Haiti had a series of private discussions with the U.S. party. As a result, the U.S. agreed to resume aid to the nation in return for their support of sanctions against Cuba. Aid to Haiti had been suspended following the rise of the authoritarian autocrat François Duvalier. January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... Department Maldonado Department Altitude 0m Coordinates 34º 58S 54º 57W Founded 1907 Population 8,252 (2004) Demonym puntaesteño Phone Code +042 Postal Code 20100 Skyline of Punta del Este looking from Punta Ballena Image:Sunrise punta ballena 2006 january. ... Department Montevideo Department Altitude 43 m Coordinates 34º 53S 56º 10W Founded 1726 Founder Bruno Mauricio de Zabala Population 1,325,968 (2004) (1st) Demonym Montevideano Phone Code +02 Postal Code 10000 Montevideo -pron IPA: is the capital, largest city, and chief port of Uruguay. ... David Dean Rusk (February 9, 1909 – December 20, 1994) was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Argentina proposed a compromise that would see Cuba expelled from the organisation. The proposal would also be supplemented by partial economic sanctions and the establishment of a special security committee. This was accepted by the U.S. who agreed to defend the new scheme. In his key speech to the organisation, Dean Rusk stated that Cuba's alignment with the Sino-Soviet block was incompatible with the inter-American system, and such measures were imperative.

Though only 14 nations voted explicitly to exclude Cuba from the organisation, all twenty republics supported the declaration forwarded by the U.S. Seventeen states voted to suspend arms sales to Cuba, 16 voted to follow this with a trade embargo, and 19 voted to create a Committee of Experts to combat "Cuba's subversive activities".

Conclusions of the decision

The vote was passed by 14 in favor, with one against (Cuba) and six abstentions (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico). The operative part of the resolution reads as follows:

1. That adherence by any member of the Organization of American States to Marxism-Leninism is incompatible with the inter-American system and the alignment of such a government with the communist bloc breaks the unity and solidarity of the hemisphere.
2. That the present Government of Cuba, which has officially identified itself as a Marxist-Leninist government, is incompatible with the principles and objectives of the inter-American system.
3. That this incompatibility excludes the present Government of Cuba from participation in the inter-American system. [1]

This means that the Cuban nation is still technically a member state, but that the current government is denied the right of representation and attendance at meetings and of participation in activities. The OAS's position is that although Cuba's participation is suspended, its obligations under the Charter, the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man, etc. still hold: for instance, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights continues to publish reports on Cuba's human rights situation and to hear individual cases involving Cuban nationals. However, this stance is occasionally questioned by other individual member states. American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man Place signed Bogotá, Colombia Date signed April 1948 Date entered into force April 1948 Conditions for entry into force Parties The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man was the worlds first international human rights instrument of a... The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the IACHR or, in Spanish, CIDH) is one of the two bodies that comprise the inter-American system for the promotion and protection of human rights. ...

Cuba's position was stated in an official note sent to the Organization "merely as a courtesy" by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Raúl Roa on 4 November 1964: "Cuba was arbitrarily excluded... The Organization of American States has no juridical, factual, or moral jurisdiction, nor competence, over a state which it has illegally deprived of its rights."[2] November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

The reincorporation of Cuba as an active member regularly arises as a topic within the inter-American system (e.g., it was intimated by the outgoing ambassador of Mexico in 1998) [3] but most observers do not see it as a serious possibility while the present government remains in power. On 6 May 2005, President Fidel Castro reiterated that the island nation would not "be part of a disgraceful institution that has only humiliated the honor of Latin American nations". [4] May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The President of Cuba is the Head of State of Cuba. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ...

See also

Cuba Portal

• United States embargo against Cuba
• Foreign relations of Cuba

Image File history File links Flag_of_Cuba. ... Billboards carrying messages attacking the United States government can be seen all over Cuba. ... Cubas once-ambitious foreign policy has been scaled back and redirected as a result of economic hardship and the end of the Cold War. ...

Footnotes