Cuba and Human Rights

"Listen up kid! I don't like you. But because some town in Switzerland says so, you have rights." --Dwight Schrute on The Office.

Cuba signs human rights treaties at UN (Edith M. Lederer, Yahoo.com/AP, 28 Feb 2008)

"UNITED NATIONS - Cuba's government signed two key international human rights treaties Thursday that Fidel Castro long opposed, but said it had reservations about some provisions..."

Although this appears as a change of policy by Castro's brother, Raul, the decision to sign the treaties was announced December 10, while Castro was still in power. Which isn't to say that Raul influenced Fidel to announce a change he planned to make.

What changes might occur because of the signing?

"Asked at a news conference whether Fidel's opposition to parts of the two covenants, including the right to form independent trade unions, had changed now that Raul is president, Perez Roque said no. He reiterated that Cuba would later specify some reservations about treaty provisions."