By Roberto Morejón

Cuba's commitment to comply with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, should be beyond any doubt, both for its internal policies and its cooperation at the global level.
 
Under these axes and the protection of victims, whose number is small, the authorities of the largest of the Antilles updated the National Action Plan in 2022.
 
The document, for the period 2022-2024, contemplates the prevention and confrontation of human trafficking and the protection of victims, as an essential tool for actions between the State and civil society organizations.
 
The various actors involved in such a sensitive mission receive training and help to raise the perception of risk in the country, sometimes not so marked, judging by what has been pointed out by experts.
 
The detected victims and vulnerable people, particularly women, children, the elderly and the handicapped, were given technical assistance.
 
Meanwhile, the Caribbean nation continues to cooperate and exchange information with international entities such as INTERPOL, the United Nations System and countries in the region.
 
All this and the absence of criminal networks fit the policy of zero tolerance to human trafficking and even mercenarism.
 
There is no doubt that social protection, free health services and citizen security, as well as equal opportunities also contribute to these guarantees, even when Cuba faces material shortages, exacerbated by the U.S. blockade.
 
Nevertheless, cases are always detected and legal instruments are available for those who have committed crimes.
 
Cuba is a signatory of international treaties against the aforementioned scourge and the Constitution classifies it as a crime against human dignity.
 
Meanwhile, the Cuban Ministry of the Interior continues to focus on prevention and confrontation.
 
The single telephone line of the Attorney General's Office of the Republic through which citizens file complaints and concerns, including human trafficking, is noteworthy.
 
In 2022, more than 8,400 citizens communicated through this channel, and although no charges were filed in this criminal modality, 1,550 cases of alleged violations of the prerogatives of persons were reported through various channels.
 
With this internal endorsement, Cuba expresses its willingness to cooperate with all countries and international organizations, in the hope that such delicate situations are not manipulated for political purposes.