:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/HIPXVXLXURGBVOACQ4XD3X4DWQ "Cuban Dictator to Host G77+China Summit on Development Challenges")
Cuban dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel is set to host the Group of 77 (G77) summit this Friday and Saturday in Havana. The G77, also known as G77+China, is an intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, consisting of 134 member states. The summit will focus on the role of science, technology, and innovation in addressing current development challenges.
Díaz-Canel called for the summit with the aim of strengthening unity and finding practical actions to confront contemporary challenges. The forum comes at a crucial time of global economic and multidimensional crisis, according to Bruno Rodríguez, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Castro dictatorship. The summit is expected to provide strategies for development in the post-pandemic and economic crisis era.
High representatives from various dictatorships and authoritarian regimes, including Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, Daniel Ortega from Nicaragua, and leaders from China and Iran, will be in attendance. The participation of these regimes, accused of serious human rights violations, has raised criticism and controversy surrounding the event. These regimes often use international gatherings to seek legitimacy and support from other countries.
Despite these criticisms, presidents such as Alberto Fernández from Argentina, Lula da Silva from Brazil, Luis Arce from Bolivia, and Gustavo Petro from Colombia have chosen to participate in the summit, rather than condemn the practices that violate UN provisions. This has raised concerns about the legitimacy of a dictatorship like Cuba presiding over a group that aims to promote the positive development of countries.
The timing of the summit is also notable, as it takes place amidst increasing repression and persecution against the opposition in Cuba. Human rights organizations have reported over 1,000 political prisoners on the island who are subjected to torture. The dictatorship has even summoned a 3-year-old girl to testify as part of the crackdown on dissent.
The G77 was established in 1964 to promote the economic interests of developing countries not aligned with the United States or the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Over the years, the group has expanded to include 134 member states, with China collaborating externally but not as a formal member. The summit in Havana will provide an opportunity for member states to discuss collective strategies for development and address the challenges of the current global crisis.