As reported in the Morning Star on October 10 the socialist republic of Cuba "won one of the three seats allocated to the council’s Latin America and Caribbean group — topping the poll with 146 votes out of a possible 193 — with Brazil and the Dominican Republic taking the others and Peru losing out."
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement about the victory which we have translated from the Spanish:
Cuba was elected, for the sixth time, to the Human Rights Council, as a sign of the prestige achieved by the country in the work of this body.
By the secret, direct and individual vote of 146 member states of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Cuba was the country with the highest number of votes in the region, which shows the recognition of the international community of the significant advances made by the country in the enjoyment of human rights for all people.
As a founding member of the Human Rights Council, Cuba has a long history of international cooperation in this area, based on respectful, frank and open dialogue.
This year, in which Cuba holds the Presidency of the G77 and China, this election has a special significance for the defense of the interests of developing countries and towards the achievement of a just and equitable international order.
This outcome recognizes the nation's firm commitment to the defense of multilateralism, the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the contribution that as a member of the Human Rights Council can be made by a developing nation like Cuba, defender of dialogue and cooperation for the promotion and protection of all human rights in accordance with the principles of objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity.
In Cuba, a broad, profound and comprehensive process of legislative reform has taken place, which has included the strengthening of the legal and institutional framework for the promotion and protection of human rights.
In the midst of difficult economic circumstances caused by the reinforcement of the genocidal and illegal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, the election of our country as a member of this important body is also a recognition of the courage, self-determination and creative resistance of the Cuban people in the face of the obstacles caused by that policy. which constitutes the most flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the human rights of an entire people.
The Human Rights Council is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is composed of 47 member states.