Cuba's foreign policy principles centered on sovereignty, says Deputy Minister

During the First International Colloquium ‘Fidel: Legacy and Future,’ Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernández de Cossío presented on the fundamental principles of Fidel Castro’s foreign policy.

Fernández de Cossío highlighted the 1962 missile crisis as a primary example of Cuba’s defense of sovereignty. He recounted how Castro rejected a United Nations-proposed inspection mechanism intended to verify the withdrawal of offensive weapons, questioning the legitimacy of the demand and asserting that Cuba is a sovereign nation equal to any other UN member state.

The presentation also addressed Castro’s refusal to use Cuba’s internationalist commitments as bargaining chips. The Deputy Minister noted that during meetings with the United States between the late 1970s and 1980, Cuba maintained that its solidarity efforts, including support for independence movements in Africa, were non-negotiable.