(Spanish CNN) — The European Parliament on Wednesday condemned the “systematic violations and abuses” of human rights in Cuba and asked the European Union (EU) for sanctions against those it appoints as responsible for the situation, including the President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

With 359 votes for, 226 against and 50 abstentions, the resolution approved this Wednesday by the plenary urges the Cuban regime to stop “the policy of repression” on the island. In addition, protesters and dissidents detained by the government led by Díaz-Canel are requested to be released immediately.

“MPs call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained solely for the exercise of their human rights, the withdrawal of abusive criminal charges and the authorization of the return of exiles,” the statement said.

The Chamber called on EU member countries to sanction those responsible for “persistent violations of human rights” in Cuba. , as well as other senior Cuban government officials,” the institution said.

The resolution also warns that the EU-Cuba agreement on political dialogue and cooperation includes a clause on human rights which, if not respected, could be suspended.

In this sense, MEPs insisted that the human rights crisis in Cuba must find “a proportionate response from the Union and the Member States”.

For its part, the Presidency of Cuba, on his official Twitter accountshared an article from the state-run Granma newspaper signed by the National Assembly of People’s Power where it is assured that the European Parliament “does not have the moral, political and legal authority to judge #Cuba“, to conclude that “as has happened with previous resolutions on Cuba, approved by the current legislature, the text shows a high interventionist content”.

In the same vein, the International Relations Commission of Cuba’s National Assembly of People’s Power rejected the resolution approved by the European Parliament on Wednesday, according to the Cuban state newspaper Granma.

In addition, the Cuban government adds in its response to Granma that the European Parliament “defams not only Cuban reality, its legal system and the rule of law, but also the ties that Cuba maintains in a sovereign manner with other states”. .

The European Parliament resolution also denounces the Cuban regime’s support for the Russian war in Ukraine, as well as its defense of Russia and Belarus.

Criticism of the head of European diplomacy during his visit to the island

The European Parliament has also criticized the European Union’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, accusing him of contributing to the “laundering” of the Cuban regime after his visit to the island last May n did not meet with representatives of independent civil society, political prisoners or their families.

In the resolution, MEPs deplored the “missed opportunity” that Borrell’s visit to Cuba implied, in their view.

The European Parliament underlined that the summit that the EU will organize next week in Brussels with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) “is an opportunity to defend the principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rights”.