Cuba Protests U.S. Plans to Launch Internet Task Force

Following the Department of State press release on January 23 announcing plans to create an internet task force, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba has issued a strong protest against what it believes is not only an illegal action but is interference in a sovereign nation’s affairs.

According to the announcement on the State Department website, “The Department of State is convening a Cuba Internet Task Force composed of U.S. government and non-governmental representatives to promote the free and unregulated flow of information in Cuba. The task force will examine the technological challenges and opportunities for expanding internet access and independent media in Cuba.”

MINREX stated yesterday that the actions are illegal in regard to international law, the United Nation’s Charter, and is interference with the internal affairs of a nation’s sovereignty.

Statement by MINREX:

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs a message yesterday to the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States in Havana, Lawrence Gumbiner, a diplomatic note that expresses its strong protest against the claim of the US government to flagrantly violate Cuban sovereignty, with respect to the national competence to regulate the flow of information and the use of mass media, while rejecting the attempt to manipulate the Internet to carry out illegal programs for political purposes and subversion, as part of their actions aimed at altering or changing the constitutional order of the Republic of Cuba. The same note was sent by the Embassy of Cuba in Washington to the Department of State.

 The protest was motivated by the announcement by the Department of State, on 23 January, of the decision to convene an “Internet Task Force”, composed of officials of the United States Government and representatives of non-governmental organizations, with the stated objective of promoting in Cuba the “free and unregulated flow of information”. According to the announcement, this task force will “examine the technological challenges and opportunities to expand Internet access and independent media” in Cuba.”

Over the last three years, Cuba and ETECSA have been making rapid progress in the construction of the internet in Cuba, working to ensure that all Cubans will have internet access by the year 2020. Communication Ministry IT Director Ernesto Rodriguez told the press, “The Cuban government is working to ensure that the IT resources and Internet are available and accessible to all Cubans.”