• Mexican vote previously announced by a White House spokesperson Despite the Iraq crisis, President Bush took it on himself to pressure Latin American governments

GENEVA, Switzerland.-A vote that highlighted the U.S. allies against Cuba has left the island with a sentiment of triumph at one of the most telling moments of the UN Human Rights Commission.

The loud applause given Juan Antonio Fernández, head of the Cuban delegation; and the solid position of China, Russia and the overwhelming majority of the African nations that are members of the HCR, anticipated certain swayed votes.

This was the vote on the anti-Cuba resolution presented by Honduras, at Washington’s behest, as Fernández eloquently explained, to condemn the island on human rights issues.

The controversial Point 9 on the HRC agenda led to Room 17 of Geneva’s Palais des Nations being virtually packed out for the first time in more than one month of sessions. But the question of Cuba aroused special interest.

On behalf of the European Union, Ireland did not surprise the auditorium by reiterating its criticisms of Havana. Far less so was the case of the United States which, in passing, congratulated its new pawn, as Cuba qualified Honduras, for presenting the text.

Other nations explaining their vote included Chile, unsurprisingly, as subsequently was clear in the voting; Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, members of the choir following Washington’s tune.

In the case of Mexico, its decision was relayed yesterday by a White House spokesperson after a brief telephone conversation between Vicente Fox and George Bush. The U.S. president took it upon himself to contact various Latin American presidents to pressure them into backing the anti-Cuban resolution. However, not all of them bowed to the White House will. Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay (finally) decided to abstain.

On the other hand, China gave a solid defense of Cuba, by affirming. “In 45 years of Revolution its valiant people have achieved exceptional advances in all spheres, despite the blockade and pressure from the United States.”

The Chinese delegate noted that it was very sad to see the HRC allowing itself to be manipulated by the hegemonism that the White House is attempting to impose on the world and outright condemned the fact that a little island should be the preferred target of U.S. governors.

Russia, Zimbabwe, Togo, Congo and Sudan stayed firm to their stand of not supporting a document condemning Cuba, and attested during the session to the island’s solidarity with the peoples of the world, its successes in education, health care and culture, and its adherence to human rights.