(8th plenary meeting) Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24) - 2026 session

Good afternoon. The 8th meeting of the 2026 session of the Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples is called to order. Thank you. The committee will now continue its consideration of the agenda item entitled Special Committee Decision of June 16th, 2025 concerning Puerto Rico, Hearing of Petitioners. Before giving the floor to the remaining petitioners, I urge all petitioners to kindly limit their statements to no more than 3 minutes to enable the committee to hear all the petitioners on our list today. As noted this morning, the red light on the microphone will begin to flash when there are 30 seconds left before the end of the 3-minute speaking time. At the end, once the 3 minutes is reached, the sound on the microphone will be cut off and it will no longer be possible to be heard. In order to facilitate the work of the interpreters, please do send your statements to eStatements@UN.org before delivery, with a copy to the DPPA Decolonization Unit at UN.org. Furthermore, I would like to remind all speakers strictly limit your statements to issues within the purview of the special committee's mandate pertaining to Puerto Rico. Petitioners and guests are also reminded that the rules of procedure of the committee must be observed at all times. Accordingly, any display of banners or flags or disruptive behavior in the conference room is strictly strictly prohibited. Please do respect the decorum as this is a meeting of the United Nations. I thank you. The committee will now proceed to hear the remaining petitioners. In this regard, I now invite Mr. Enol Santiago to address the committee. Sir, You have the floor, please.

Señora presidenta, Madam Chair, distinguished members of the Special Committee on Decolonization, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Enoel Santiago and I come here on behalf of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico, the liberation movement, to denounce the colonial situation of Puerto Rico and to demand that the international community recognize the right of the Puerto Rican nation to self-determination and independence. Puerto Rico has been a United States colony since it was invaded in 1898. The Treaty of Paris was signed by— signed by Spain and the United States, violated the sovereignty of Puerto Rico because under international law Puerto Rico was a sovereign nation at the time the treaty was drafted. As Pedro Alviso Campos stated, "Neither could Spain cede Puerto Rico, nor could the United States annex Puerto Rico, nor could the entire world deny Puerto Rico's sovereignty because recognition of a nation's sovereignty is irrevocable." End quote. For this reason, the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico maintains that the so-called federal government and the colonial administration are illegal, as are the laws enacted by the US Congress, such as the Jones Act, which imposes US citizenship upon us, and Public Law 600, which constitutes acceptance of international political slavery. The colony cannot be reformed. No crisis can be resolved through submission, nor is negotiation possible between master and slave. One cannot expect justice from those who seek to eliminate you. The United States does not recognize the right of other nations to freedom. It believes it has a divine mandate to eliminate anything from which it cannot derive benefit. The world must become aware of the great danger that this represents. The empire uses the unworthy colonial administration to plunder Puerto Rico's resources, our beaches, our best lands, our water, making life impossible for our families in order to drive us from our country and to populate our paradise with privileged North Americans enjoying unparalleled advantages. They want a Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico isn't a domestic matter of the Yankee Empire. This international body has a duty to require the administering power to submit a report on the current social, political, and economic conditions of its colony, as well as on the steps that it has taken to enable Puerto Rico to attain its independence. We demand the immediate cessation of the genocide against the Palestinian nation and Lebanon. We align ourselves with the struggle of Sahrawi people, Iran's exemplary defense of its sovereignty, the resistance of Latin American migrants in the US,

I thank Mr.

Santiago. I now invite Mr. Cesar Perez Lizano to address the committee. Ambassador, you have the floor, please.

Our organization, Plan B Independence, directly appeals to President Donald Trump because today they have the historic opportunity to simultaneously resolve several problems: to bring an end to the colonial regime, reduce the economic costs related to the dependency, and once and for all stop the possibility of the annexation of Puerto Rico, which is an alternative which threatens to break down the internal cohesion of the United States. For this reason, we propose that the U.S. government take a concrete and immediate step, which is to issue a presidential executive order recognizing the right of the people of Puerto Rico to independence and to establish a formal, orderly transition process to towards independence. This would begin the independence to the people of Puerto Rico and would stop the current remilitarization processes that do not benefit Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and also the United States. Furthermore, they should establish a framework to negotiate bilateral agreements on debt nationality, trade, defense, gradually substituting colonial dependency with a national development project. The need for a measure of this nature comes from two realities that can no longer be overlooked. Firstly, we are concerned that certain parts of the Democratic Party are using the future of Puerto Rico as a, an object for party political games. There is a possibility that they might attempt to force the annexation if they gain a legislative majority in the midterm elections and potentially the presidency. Annexation is not a decolonizing solution, would only serve to, to deepen internal tensions already affecting the United States. Secondly, in Puerto Rico, we have an exceptional crisis and historical time. The colonial regime has exhausted any capacity to sustain itself. It's harming both Puerto Rico and the United States, and it is just fueling a corrupt political elite whose privileges depend specifically on the the continuity of the colony. For this reason, independence doesn't only represent a moral or ideological aspiration; it is the only viable alternative to overcome the colonial crisis. Exceptional crises call for exceptional responses. For this reason, we reiterate our call on President Donald Trump to issue the aforementioned executive order. Thank you very much.

I thank Mr. Lisa Swain. I now invite Ms. Melindy Guzman to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

As a physician, I have an ethical responsibility to identify the conditions that place populations at risk of disease, disability, and preventable death. In Puerto Rico, many of those conditions are rooted in a colonial relationship that denies Puerto Ricans full sovereignty over the policies that govern their healthcare system, economy, infrastructure, and future. Puerto Rico's history includes profound bioethical violations. Puerto Ricans were subjected to unethical medical experimentation, such as the work of Dr. Cornelius Rhoads, mass sterilization, and testing of super therapeutic contraceptives. Often without informed consent. Today, the consequences of colonial governance continue to shape public health. The federally imposed Fiscal Oversight and Management Board has overseen austerity measures that have weakened essential public services. The deterioration of water infrastructure, the privatization of electrical services, and cuts to public education have worsened social determinants of health. Inadequate healthcare reimbursement and chronic underinvestment have driven thousands of healthcare professionals from the archipelago, limiting access to care. Puerto Rico remains vulnerable to public health emergencies. The devastation of Hurricane María exposed the deadly consequences of weakened infrastructure and political powerlessness. The lack of reliable access to clean potable water continues to increase risk associated with dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. In a tropical environment already burdened by climate-related challenges such as the impending Project Escencia. The municipality of Vieques remains a stark example of environmental injustice. After decades of military bombing, residents continue to experience disproportionate rates of cancer and chronic disease while lacking adequate access to a hospital. The closure of hospitals, dialysis centers, and HIV clinics across Puerto Rico has further deepened health disparities. As physicians, we are taught to address the root causes of disease rather than merely treat symptoms. Puerto Rico's public health crisis cannot be separated from its colonial condition. Healthcare access, environmental health, disaster preparedness, and economic stability are all influenced by the archipelago's inability to exercise full self-determination. For this reason, Puerto Rico— Puerto Rican independence is not solely a political aspiration, It is a public health imperative. The right to health is inseparable from the right to self-determination. A sovereign Puerto Rico would possess the authority to design healthcare, environmental, and economic policies responsive to the needs of its people rather than the priorities of external political institutions. Sovereign nations such as Cuba received recognition from the WHO for maintaining the elimination of maternal transmission of HIV and syphilis. Despite an illegal blockade. I respectfully urge this committee to recognize that decolonization through sovereign independence is not only a matter of political rights, but also a matter of public health, human dignity, and bioethical justice to secure the conditions necessary for health, survival, and a just future. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Guzman. I now invite Ms. Isatis Citron to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

Thank you. Vengo como— I appear before you as a climate scientist and an activist from Caimito, and as the executive director of Climate TRACE Puerto Rico, where we work to advance climate justice and uphold our people's right to participate, remain, and thrive in our own land. Puerto Rico appears once again before this committee in its 128th year as a colony of the United States Empire. This is a reality that continues to violate fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, water, health, participate— to participate, uh, right to housing, and also the healthy environment. This situation demonstrates the failure of international law to protect my people. This has an effect on the families that have to flee, the climate crisis that is affecting the education of our children. This all, as I said, speaks to the failure of international law to protect my people. These— in a few days, 10 years will have passed since the enactment of PROMESA. For 10 years, we've been Climate policy, public health, and dignity of other people have been treated as bargaining chips in the pursuit of fiscal adjustment. And these— colonialism doesn't always come with imperial decrees. Sometimes it comes as a fiscal board, other austerity policies, and forced remilitarization, or, or or extra extraction policies that purport to protect, uh, those areas but solely serve billionaires. This is reflected in the corruption of a government that seeks to legalize the illegal. The colony doesn't only occupy territories, it also molds consciences. Corruption doesn't surge in a vacuum, it flourishes where there is a concentration with power without accountability., a, the people as having their right to self-determination violated before they can even exercise it. 10 years on from PROMESA, we reiterate to this committee the future of Puerto Rico is— will be decided by the people of Puerto Rico, not a fiscal board, not billionaires, and not outside interests. We ask this committee to reaffirm the inalienable right of the Puerto Rican people to self-determination, to recognize the debt, the external fiscal control, and the impediments on development imposed as direct obstacles. Puerto Rico is coming to demand what belongs to us, the right to decide on our own destiny. This is a debt that has been pending for more than 100 years. It's now time to recover it. Long live Puerto Rico.

Citron. I now invite Mr. Juan Carlos Martinez Rousado to address the committee. Sir, you have the floor, please.

We speak in this forum on behalf of the Movement of Sovereignist Dialogue to denounce the persistence of the colonial regime in Puerto Rico. While the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, while exalting the universal principles of freedom, self-determination, and self-government, It maintains under its colonial control any Caribbean nation that continues to be deprived of its sovereignty. This historical and moral contradiction cannot continue to be ignored by the international community. Decolonization of Puerto Rico is urgent and necessary because, as Aimé Césaire said, colonization dehumanizes the colonizer and the colonized. This dehumanization of our colonizer has become clear with its unjustified attacks against countries and threats even against allies. Cesare stated that a nation that colonizes and justifies its colonization is a civilization that is morally sick, that naturally will produce its own Hitler. These were prophetic words, and it's necessary for the General Assembly to make the US regime accountable before it applies its Monroe Doctrine to all of America. Dehumanization of the colonized takes various forms, including failure in fulfilling duties, legislating in favor of US capital and against the well-being of its people. Others deny that Puerto Rico is a colony, even though for the past 10 years it has been governed by the Fiscal Control Board. The board can overturn any local legislation. It draws up a fiscal austerity plan for Puerto Rico. It controls the budget of the country to benefit Wall Street. It— all its expenditures are paid by its people. The board, in fact, governs Puerto Rico. The federal law that established the board allowed to define essential services. But no one defined what the board can do. Consequently, Puerto Rico is suffering total deterioration in healthcare, education, transportation, electricity, water, and others. So the United States is embezzling the colony and is destroying its physical and human infrastructure, condemning people to misery, denying their free determination. These actions are diametrically opposed to its duties under the International Compact of Civil and Political Rights that the General Assembly signed and ratified. The United States has not promoted development, rather social inequality. Its presence in Puerto Rico violates international law. It should pay reparations and transfer sovereign powers to Puerto Rico. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Martinez-González. I now invite— I now invite Ms. Annette Morales to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

Honorable representatives of the UN, When you love Puerto Rico, you change the color of its flag to another color. With all my heart, I wish that I lived in a state with the same rights as the inhabitants of this state. I wish everyone, including people with disabilities, could have the same rights. Could have representation in Congress and not to be margin— marginalized in terms of receiving the same benefits. I will desire this until my last breath for my country to be a territory. Oh, I'm sorry, we are a territory, but we don't have full equality, which is necessary to have representatives in the U.S. Congress. Or to have the Puerto Rican people make decisions for them to be able to vote for our president. Puerto Rico already voted in 2024 for referendum, and statehood won by 58%. This is the voice of my people, and it should be respected. Thank you.

I thank Ms. Morales. I now invite Ms. Vivian Riviera Monero to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

Mrs. Chairman, distinguished delegates, as a member of the Rhode Island extended delegation for Stay Hope for Puerto Rico, I appear before this committee to ask about an issue that has remained unsolved for more than 125 years: the political status of Puerto Rico. A recent meeting between Senator Ron Wyden and the Honorable Jennifer González Colón, Governor of Puerto Rico, highlighted several fundamental truths. That should inform this assembly and the international community. First, the legal reality is clear. Multiple legal authorities, including the United States Department of Justice and the Supreme Court of the United States, have concluded that the realistic non-territorial alternatives to Puerto Rico's current status are under the Constitution, is effectively limited to statehood or independence or free association. Proposals allowing a territory to by itself determine which federal laws apply or to enter into treaties independently have been rejected as unconstitutional and prohibited by legal precedent. Second, people of Puerto Rico have spoken. The majority preference expressed has been statehood. This follows a consistent pattern. Puerto Rico has rejected the territorial status in 4 consecutive plebiscites. 3 clear options have been presented of the people: independence, remaining a territory, or statehood, with statehood being the preferred option of Puerto Ricans. Third, we must recognize the extraordinary service and commitment of the people of Puerto Rico. More than 230,000 men and women from Puerto Rico have served the Armed Forces of the United States, often sacrificing their lives for the freedoms of this nation, even on American loyal. As we celebrate 250th anniversary of the United States of America, this is a symbolic moment to honor that service and finally resolve Puerto Rico's political status. Therefore, we respectfully ask this assembly and the international community to urge the United States Congress to take one of the following actions, both consistent with the right of self-determination. Admit Puerto Rico immediately as the 51st state of the Union in accordance with the clear majority will of the Puerto Rican people expressed in the last 4 plebiscites, or to alternatively approve without delay a binding and final plebiscite with the 2 legally viable and clear options: statehood or independence. The people of Puerto Rico deserve a permanent Democratic and decolonizing solutions.

I thank Miss Moreno. I thank Miss Moreno. I now invite Mr. Gustavo Quiñones to address the committee. Sir, you have the floor, please.

Thank you. Distinguished members of the special decolonization committee of the United Nations, respectfully, I'm Gustavo Quiñones representing the eastern region of Puerto Rico. We appear in this forum to demand that the United States stops maintaining the Puerto Rican nation under its imperial domination and continues to violate its human rights of its citizens. And turning into dead letter our right to free determination and independence. This is why it's up to this honorable committee to take this important decision. When in 1953 the colonial power approved a decision which in fact created the Commonwealth. It became a supposedly non-colonial jurisdiction with its own government. In fact, throughout various decisions by the United States, Puerto Rico never was able to acquire the same powers that were we're supposed to have as a Commonwealth. Our demand is to— is urgent to have our exercise of our sovereignty. The United States has prevented this by subjecting Puerto Rico as a colony. And Puerto Rico has never been democratic because a colonial relationship cannot be by its nature democratic. We are in the worst— seeing the worst crisis in international relations. The United States has exceeded all limits, first of all on its own soil, where freedom of expression is criminalized, where dissidents are blacklisted, where This moral degradation of the United States is reflected also in Puerto Rico because the— in fact, Puerto Rico is used as a platform for its military attacks against Central and South America in order to pillages natural wealth. The General Assembly should examine our case to begin a process that leads to the recognition of Puerto Rico as a free and nation state. It's our demand. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Gustavo Quinones. I now invite Mr. Alex Rivera to address the committee. Sir, you have the floor, please.

The youth of Puerto Rico has been asking the question, should I stay or should I go? In fact, all possibility for young people to live in decent material conditions has been destroyed and to be able to develop. Modern colonialism is characterized by economic control of territories that it controls in its interest, the interest of capital. Puerto Rico is one of these cases. In the neoliberal period, the colonial economy dismantles and privatizes natural resources, extracts natural resources. It weakens the rights of the majority of workers. Indeed, the crisis that provoked by the colonial economy is— in fact, the imposition of the fiscal control board that will be 10 years on the 30th of June is an example of this. In fact, there's an economic, political, and climate crisis that threatens our future. Puerto Rico has been depopulating over the past 25 years, and the youth has suffered the most here. The main reasons, the wish to have a better quality of life and to seek better economic opportunities. These reasons are a consequence of the colonial structure that pillages most of natural resources and produced wealth. Push Puerto Rico to contract public debt that means that losses are socialized. Every one of these actions is aligned with the modern colonial strategy which is being implemented by the Fiscal Control Board and our neoliberal government, the colonial attack The most direct in the past decade that has been suffering by young people has been the dismantling of public education. With the arrival of the fiscal control board, the budget of University of Puerto Rico was cut by more than half, establishing precarious conditions that limit access to education for hundreds of thousands of young people. Without our public university, there will be no Puerto Rico for people of working age. We need to overcome the limitation to, as a people, to demand a truly binding and democratic process of decolonization. For these reasons, we support Resolution 1514 of the Special Committee that declares that all peoples have the right to free determination. Pursuant to this right, they determine freely their political condition and pursue freely their economic, social, and cultural development. Thank you to the committee for this initiative and commitment to the decolonization of our archipelago. Thank you.

I thank Mr. Alex Rivera. I now invite Mr. Ariel Hernandez to address the committee. Mr. Hernandez, you have the floor, please.

Distinguished chair, delegates of this special committee, I am Ariel Hernández Santana representing the committee honoring our heroes, an organization dedicated to highlighting the legacy of Puerto Rican women and men who have been important in our history. We acknowledge the valuable contributions of Juan Mari Brasa and Rubén Bárez Martínez, who were the first to speak to the special committee in 1973. The Puerto Rican nation has a vibrant culture, and we are proud of our Caribbean and Latin American inheritance. Figures such as Roberto Clemente in baseball, Rafael Hernández in bad bunny in music, and Joseph Acaba, who is an astronaut, are just some of the examples of what we achieved in different areas. However, in spite of having a rich history in the political sphere, we have had a very different and dark experience. While the former Spanish colonies achieved independence in the first decades of the 19th century, Spain maintained Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean as colonies until the end of that century, which was lost to the United States after the War of '98. The illusion of self-government that was supposedly created with the Commonwealth in 1952 was in fact an illusion and leaves us with a cruel reality of a colonial regime that continues to strengthen over the past few years. The self-government is a principle, is a root principle of international law, and the capacity of people to decide on their own destiny is a question of human dignity that cannot be undermined by economic or military interests. Today we see with horror how our territory continues to be used to attack and threaten brethren nations Venezuela and Cuba without our people being consulted. The internal battle to resolve the colonial situation of Puerto Rico has always had three aspects: full independence, integration with the United States, and autonomy. However, this should be preceded by an educational process that is impartial and free of external pressure. Economic dependence and subordination make it worse. With the Congress of the United States and the legislature of Puerto Rico must approve legislation for the creation of an assembly for decolonization with representation of both countries, with the ultimate result binding after referendum. We thank this committee for the adoption of various resolutions favoring the process of decolonization of our homeland. But it's important to seek accountability from the United States for noncompliance with Resolution 1514, Spain and for ignoring all the decisions of the special committee. We would also like to thank Cuba for its constant solidarity with us in this historic demand. As José Martí anticipated, fighting for our cause is fighting for the world. We don't want to be a colony of Spain or the United States. Thank you.

I thank I thank Mr. Ariel Hernandez. I now invite Charlie Guzmán to address the committee. Charlie Guzmán, you have the floor, please.

My name—

Oh, it's on?

Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Isa Anastasia Rivas, and I am a member of Alofina, a political mass organization for the Puerto Rico anti-imperialistic women's movement, actively struggling for national sovereignty and liberation for all women and gender-oppressed people. Puerto Rico is a nation that has never been given a chance at self-determination. She is a nation that has had her lands and resources exploited and her people displaced for hundreds of years. How many more tragedies must happen before real action is taken? Will we all allow a future of a Puerto Rico without Puerto Ricans? Due to colonial economic policies imposed by the US, close to half Puerto Ricans live in poverty. This has been an ongoing trend for decades, made worse after the creation of la Junta. Public schools, universities, and hospitals are being underfunded and closed. This while public utilities are sold off to privatization and mega-luxury developments such as Essencia are pursued regardless of the predictable ecological and societal damage such projects will inflict on the nation. It is clear that the elected officials, many of them statehooders, serve foreign investors instead of the Puerto Rican people. This is especially clear when we take into account the lives of Puerto Rican women, single mothers and trans people, all stuck in poverty. This citizen— these citizens are abandoned to the violence imposed by this colonial structure. Let us take note of the femicide crisis. As reported by the UN this year, Puerto Rico has shown to have one of the sharpest increases of femicide among Latin American nations. This is happening in the backdrop of hospital closures that create such issues such as maternity care deserts, which make up about 20% of the municipalities on the island, a trend set to also increase. This means women and their children will continue to not receive adequate care for the foreseeable future. Instead of focusing attention on these crises, the Puerto Rican government instead focuses on anti-LGBT laws such as banning life-saving gender-affirming care and bathroom bans, policies that have shown to incite further violence on trans, non-binary individuals, and cis women due to gender policing. These issues are policy choices. While statehooders will continue to dwell on the results of the past plebiscite, which does not represent even half of the Puerto Rican total population or the millions forced to live in the diaspora, they are blind to the suffering of their own people. Widening gender inequalities and growing social discontent leave little options besides immigration. In other words, displacement. Displacement is a genocidal policy, a tool used to clear land for capital and push people out. Today, I am here to call upon mi gente en Puerto Rico and across the diaspora to rise up, to resist, organize, demand our independencia. ¡Que viva Puerto Rico libre!

Thank you. I thank the petitioner. I now invite Miss Corina Perez to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

My name is Coco, and I'm the national chairperson of Juventud Unida por la Independencia, a youth and student mass organization. Our current status as a colony has led to the degradation of our land and the worsening of the conditions of our people causing our youth to migrate in droves. We are headed towards a Puerto Rico sin puertorriqueños. It is clear that the U.S. has only ever been interested in our land for its strategic location for military and imperial expansion, as well as a playground for the wealthy to evade taxes and build luxury resorts. We as a people have been coerced by the U.S. to abandon our country. The U.S. cares more for the debt that is being managed by a U.S.-imposed fiscal control board that has decided to cut corners by means of privatizing our public services and reducing funding for education and medical care. Students at the University of Puerto Rico have been striking for months to demand for a quality education and representation. It is no wonder our youth have decided to either leave the archipelago or join the military. Our research indicates they do so because they have no choice. Puerto Ricans are left with little to no option but to sell their land, bodies, and souls to an imperialist power that does nothing when we are left without a drop of water to drink or bathe. Members of our organization have shared with us that they are forced to stock up on water bottles for drinking, washing their dishes, their clothes, and even flushing their toilets. Governor Jennifer González plans to revive Puerto Rico by allowing the U.S. to reopen military bases and passing bills that encourage foreign developers to steal and destroy our land with their settlements. The president of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authorities, Luis González Delgado, even acknowledged that they do not have enough water to support the destructive Proyecto Esencia. Jennifer prioritizes U.S. interests, tourists, and foreign private investment over the well-being of her own people. And this is a woman who has been unsuccessfully lobbying for statehood for years. Why would we ever want to transfer from one colonizer to another? Reunification with Spain does not make any sense. We should not make any decisions solely based on preserving culture. We must pay attention to the current conditions of our people. And why would we ever want to be a part of a country such as the U.S. that thrives on the exploitation and destruction of other countries? The RIMPAC military exercises held in Hawaiʻi prove that statehood does nothing to protect the people who call these lands home. Statehooders here will continue to speak on the numbers from past plebiscites when only 33% of the total population voted. These numbers do not accurately represent our people, let alone the millions of puertorriqueños that have been forced to be a part of the diaspora. We can no longer be subjected to the neglect and abuse at the hands of the U.S. We, as a youth and student organization, demand independence and we will settle for nothing else. And respectfully, asking us to not speak on the experience of other countries is a disservice to the issue at hand, which is not just the status of Puerto Rico. It is U.S. imperialism as a whole. The struggles of Haiti, Cuba, and Palestine are all connected. ¡Que viva Puerto Rico libre!

I thank Ms. Karina Perez. I now invite Ms. Lidia Vega Otero to address the committee. Madam, you have the floor, please.

Soy Lidia Vega Otero, president of the College of Social Work of Puerto Rico. I come here today with my colleague Francisco Javier González Párez. I come before this hearing pursuant to a mandate from our assembly recognizing that colonialism in Puerto Rico continues to to affect the lives of our people. This is fully impeding the full development of our people and undermining its ability through policies that undermine human dignity and restrict fundamental rights. On this occasion, we wish to draw the committee's attention to three interconnected expressions of the colonial relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. First, we denounce the imposition of oppressive immigration policies implemented by the U.S. federal government with the collaboration of the government of Puerto Rico. These lead to intimidation, arbitrary detention, deportations, persecution, and the denial of access to basic services such as healthcare, food, education, all for families with undefined immigration status in our archipelago. They also include interventions targeting individuals primarily on the basis of their appearance, ethnic origin, language, or accent. These practices have created a climate of fear and insecurity that has violated human dignity and has fragmented entire communities in our country. Second, we denounce the growing militarization of Puerto Rico as a strategic enclave for operations in Latin America and the reconfiguration of the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base. We also denounce the expansion of military activities in our country, evidenced by the mobilization of military personnel and transfer of combat aircraft to Puerto Rico. These actions include include military operations conducted outside military bases extended into civilian areas, turning our communities into spaces for military maneuvers. Such practices contributed to the recent violation of the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people. Likewise, they create a possibility of a military incursion and affecting international humanitarian law and the sovereignty of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean. Third, we regret federal education policies that redefine and devalue the training of professionals. This affects the most vulnerable— the vulnerable populations. Uh, federal education policies and fiscal policies controlled by the Fiscal Control Board and supported by the government design frameworks that limit access to higher education. Currently, the regulations adopted by the U.S. government have meant that academic programs in Puerto Rico have to revise their curricula by removing content related to equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and values of our profession. Furthermore, the, uh, financial aid system has been reformed, classifying disciplines such as social work as non-professional programs. By excluding social work from this list, master's and doctoral students no longer have access to financial support to pursue these programs. This is a deterrent to entering the profession that is essential to addressing social and mental health problems, as well as to defending and expanding human rights. Oppressive immigration policies, the militarization of our country, and the deprofessionalization of social work in Puerto Rico are not isolated realities.

I thank Ms. Vega Otero. Thank you. I now invite Ms. Davina Resto, madam, you have the floor, please.

Dear esteemed members of the Decolonization Committee, as next month marks 128 years since the U.S. invasion of Puerto Rico, we also recognize a decade since the implementation of the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board, la Junta, an undemocratic structure imposed by the U.S. to ensure payment for an illegal and unaudited debt. This colonial board prioritizes Wall Street's wealth while privatizing Puerto Ricans' basic necessities, such as education and healthcare, leading to the forceful displacement of the population on the archipelago. On January 3rd, 2026, the U.S. attacked our brothers and sisters of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, killing over 100 people and kidnapping their president and first lady. This bombing and kidnapping, illegal under so-called international law, was only possible through the military occupation of Puerto Rico. Not only has the U.S. called Puerto Rico an unsinkable aircraft carrier, it is clear that rather than benefiting the everyday lives of Puerto Ricans, the U.S. is simply using our land and our people to carry out their endless wars in not just Venezuela, but in Cuba, and in other nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The United Nations has been unable to hold the United States accountable for the occupation and colonization of Puerto Rico, but also the ongoing genocides in Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan, the attacks on Iran and the plundering of oil, and the kidnapping and detention of migrants right here in New York City. How could we expect the UN or this committee to liberate Puerto Rico when it continues to bend to the will of the United States? It is also concerning that we are here in a decolonization hearing, yet we've heard from those who wish to keep us colonized, not only by the U.S., but by Spain. Do we not understand what the term decolonization means? It means liberation from our oppressors. It means liberation for our homeland. And the liberation of Puerto Rico will only and truly come from the masses of the people, both in the archipelago and in the diaspora, and as we continue to move ourselves into a militant united front that is capable of freeing ourselves, our land, once and all, once and for all, from the terror of the United States. We demand that Puerto Rico and the rest of the Americas are a zone of peace. We demand sovereignty for our people. We demand basic access to necessities, and we demand the end to using us and our people for imperialist wars, and we will continue to fight for justice, dignity, and our lives. Que viva Puerto Rico libre!

I thank Miss Davina Resto. We have now heard the last petitioner under this item as per our list, and we have exhausted the list of petitioners who are present and in the room. Before giving the floor to delegations, I would like to remind committee members and observer member states that their statements should be limited to 5 minutes if delivered in a national capacity and to 7 minutes if delivered on behalf of a group. Time limits will be enforced by means of automatic microphone cutoffs. Having said this, I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.

Russian Federation, you Thank you, Madam Chair. The Russian Federation has the honor to take the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations. Madam Chair, member states of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations have taken note of the 43 resolutions and decisions adopted by the Special Committee of the United Nations on the Situation with the with regard to the employment— on the question of Puerto Rico. We've also taken note of the declaration adopted by CELAC, the Bolivarian Alliance of Peoples of Our America, People's Trade Agreement, ALBA, TCP, and the Non-Aligned Movement, among other organizations and groupings on the question of Puerto Rico. In this context, we take this opportunity to recognize, on the one hand, the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and in accordance with Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly, and on the other, to emphasize that the people of Puerto Rico constitute a Latin American and Caribbean nation which has its own unmistakable national identity. Madam Chair, since this question was included on the agenda of the C-24 back in 1972, no progress has been made in the decolonization process. Of Puerto Rico, mainly due to lack of political will on the part of the administering power and its determination, on the contrary, to consolidate and deepen its economic, political, and social domination over that nation, which has over years prevented Puerto Rico from addressing in a sovereign manner, among others, the pressing and structural challenges it faces, especially in the socioeconomic field. Therefore, we reiterate our support to the call of the Special Committee to the Government of the United States of America to assume its responsibility to promote a process that will allow the Puerto Rican people to fully exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence in accordance and in full compliance with General Assembly Resolution 1514 and the resolutions and decisions of the Special Committee Concerning Puerto Rico. Moreover, we also renew our full support and solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico in their struggle for the realization of their inalienable right to self-determination, as well as our firm determination to continue participating in an active and constructive manner in all efforts aimed at advancing toward the achievement of a world free of colonialism, with a view to settling once and for all our pending debt with humanity regarding the definitive conclusion of the decolonization process around the world. In this context, we seize this opportunity to welcome efforts and initiatives aimed at raising awareness on the— and the visibility of the colonial question of Puerto Rico at all relevant forums, including through the convening of side events on the margins of the work of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, uh, such as the one held on the 19th of November, 2024. These opportunities, uh, offer a chance to raise the profile of this just a cause that has been protracted for over 120 years. Madam Chair, to conclude, the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter vow to spare no effort in preserving, promoting, and defending the prevalence and validity of the Charter of the United Nations. Hence, we reiterate the priority we attach to putting an end to colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, as well as our full support and solidarity with the Puerto Rican people in their struggle for the realization of their legitimate nationalized operations in their free independent state of Puerto Rico. Thank you.

Thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations. I now give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Cuba. Excellency, you have the floor, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Russian Federation on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter and those that will be delivered on by Uganda on behalf of the NAM and Uruguay on behalf of CELAC. I'd like to begin by expressing our thanks Thanks for the sympathy that was expressed for Cuba today and support for Cuba, as well as the firm rejection against any military attack on our country. The people of Puerto Rico continue to be prevented from deciding on the issues affecting them. The imposition of the so-called social— Fiscal Supervision Board has brought with it further economic deterioration and shortages for life. The Commonwealth in Puerto Rico imposed more than 7 decades ago was just a phase and was just a way for the government of the United States to declare and exercise its full domination over this country. This has been, uh, is a farce which has been declared by the Supreme Court of the United States, the Congress, and the administration itself when it clearly and unequivocally flagged that Puerto Rico lacks its own sovereignty and is fully subject to the powers of Washington, said it is a colonial territory. The U.S. Congress, exercising exercises full authority and has full powers over Puerto Rico on issues such as defense, international relations, external trade, among other matters, while Puerto Rico exercises its local authority on a limited number of areas. During the successful holding of the Regional Seminar of the Caribbean on Decolonization held in the Kindred Republic of Nicaragua last May, we heard the presentation from an Puerto Rican expert who explained how the Puerto Rican case is illustrative of the harmful effects of structural dependency within a colonial territory. The U.S., the colonial power, attempts through all possible means to strengthen its economic, political, and social domination on Puerto Rico, ignoring the 43 resolutions and decisions adopted by the Committee which reaffirmed the inalienable right of the the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and to independence in accordance with Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly. Since the adoption of the first resolution in 1972, the very relevant work of this committee has collided with the absolute lack of political will and commitment of the United States to the decolonization cause. In addition to hampering the cooperation with the committee, the U.S. government continues with its aggressive rhetoric and irresponsible action guided by anachronistic neocolonialist interests and imperialist pretensions that seriously threaten international peace and security. Today we see this in Cuba, an independent sovereign nation against which the US government every day strengthens its imperial and hostile policies at an extreme level. The worsening economic blockade, including the energy siege, the collective punishment, and public systematic threats of military aggression against our country expose and reveal the historic criminal and blatant objectives of the U.S. government to restore neo-colonial domination over a Cuban nation and to prevent us from continuing to build our political, economic, and social model that we freely and sovereignly chose. Chair, we also denounce the action of the U.S., which is increasing its military presence in the country and undermining the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, and also the commitment to not use our region for force or the threat of use of force. In this spirit and in line with our unwavering solidarity with the Puerto Rican people, we reiterate that the definitive solution to the fate of Puerto Rico isn't an internal matter for the United States. It falls to the Special Committee on Decolonization and the international community as a whole to decide it. The General Assembly must continue to look closely and broadly at this issue, which affects is affecting a people that has resisted colonial occupation and which continues to defend their roots, idiosyncrasy, and national cultural identity.

I thank the distinguished representative of— I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba. I now recognize and give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran, you have the floor, please.

In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates. At the outset, my delegation wishes to associate itself with the statement delivered by the representative of the Russian Federation on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter, as well as with the statement that is going to be delivered by the representative of Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In line with the positions expressed in those statements, my delegation further reaffirms the longstanding position of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the inalienable rights of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence must be fully respected in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 1514. We remain concerned that externally imposed austerity measures continue to undermine public services, weaken essential infrastructure, and place a heavy burden on the daily lives of Puerto Ricans. These constraints must be lifted to enable the full enjoyment of their social and economic rights. Madam Chair, Iran underscores that the further— the future status of this territory, like that of any territory with a colonial history, must be determined strictly in accordance with the freely expressed wishes of its people and within the framework established by the General Assembly. Puerto Rico has endured significant challenges as a result of prolonged colonial practices, and such practices cannot be justified under any fabricated pretext, including human rights. The people of Puerto Rico are entitled to independence and to the full exercise of their right to self-determination which requires that their democratic choices be respected. In this context, my delegation calls on the United States as the administering power to fully discharge its responsibilities under the Charter to engage constructively with the people of Puerto Rico and to ensure that no unilateral measures are taken that impede the free and genuine expression of their will regarding their political future. Madam Chair, we also remain deeply concerned that the continued denial of self-determination in various territories, including Puerto Rico and in the case of Palestine, where generations have been deprived of their right to self-determination and of full membership in the United Nations, poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. The international community must remain steadfast in its commitment to the complete and unconditional eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations wherever it persists. Before concluding, Madam Chair, my delegation expresses its appreciation to the Republic of Cuba for submitting the draft resolution on the decision of this special committee on 16 June 2025 concerning Puerto Rico. We welcome this initiative which continues to advance the committee's longstanding consideration of this important question, and we hope that the consensus among the Committee's membership will be repeated for this resolution. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the— I thank the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran. I now recognize and give the the floor to the distinguished representative of Nicaragua. Nicaragua, you have the floor, please.

Madam Chair, Nicaragua aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Russian Federation on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter, and with those that will be delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Community of Latin American Caribbean states, CELAC and Uganda, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The full and complete decolonization of our continent is essential to make Latin America and the Caribbean a territory free of colonialism and thus to contribute to eradicating any vestige of colonialism in all of its expressions and manifestations around the world. This year exactly, Nicaragua was honored to to host the Regional Seminar on Decolonization held in Managua from the 25th to 28th of May. This meeting reaffirmed our region's commitment to the full eradication of colonialism and was an opportunity to hear directly from the peoples of the non-self-governing territories, including the heroic people of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is an integral part of our Latin America and Caribbean It is an exemplary people with their own identity forged through resistance and through their love for freedom. The Puerto Rican people strengthened through their struggle against Spanish colonialism since 1898 have resisted the colonial imposition of the United States. And every year before this committee, the patriotic Puerto Rican people show us that their spirit of struggle remains intact. We have heard close— listened closely to our brothers from Puerto Rico who have come before this committee. Their testimonies bear out a reality that we cannot overlook. This is a colonial situation which is holding back their ability to sovereignly decide on their present and future, which is affecting the essential services on the island, and which is preventing the Puerto Rican people from building their economic, social, and cultural, political political model in line with their national history and identity. Chair, in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 1514, within this committee we are obliged to assist the people of Puerto Rico to fully and truly exercise their right to self-determination and independence. We reiterate that the United States has the moral and historic opportunity to facilitate and guarantee an effective decolonization process enabling the people of Puerto Rico to exercise their inalienable right to freedom, self-determination, and independence in accordance with Resolution 1514 and the resolutions adopted year after year by this committee. We thank Cuba for once again presenting the draft resolution on the question of Puerto Rico. Nicaragua, just like it does every year, is co-sponsoring this resolution. This is a gesture of solidarity that reflects the historic commitment of our America to the cause of Puerto Rico. To our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters, to their patriots, and to the new generation that is speaking up with dignity and strength today, Nicaragua reiterates that you have our full support and unwavering Recognition: Your struggle is our struggle. Your cause is a just and necessary cause. To conclude, Nicaragua maintains that independence is the necessary path for freedom to defend national sovereignty with dignity. Nicaragua will continue supporting the Puerto Rican people in their path to self-determination and freedom, convinced that historic justice and international law are on their side. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished I thank the distinguished representative of Nicaragua. I now recognize and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, NAM. You have the floor. Go ahead, Uganda.

Madam Chair, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 121 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement during this resumed session of the Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, C-24. Over 65 years have passed since the Special Committee on on decolonization was established pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 1654, in brackets, 16, of 27 November 1961. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to you and other members of the Bureau, as well as the Committee as a whole, for the hard work and efforts put into the issue of decolonization, to which the movement to which it has historically attached particular importance. Chair, with regard to the question of Puerto Rico, the Non-Aligned Movement reaffirms the validity and relevance of its principled position, particularly with respect to the right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination, independence, on the basis of the General Assembly Resolution 5, 1, 4, or 15, or 14th December 1960, and calls for a comprehensive consideration of this question, all its aspects. The member states of the movement reiterate their unwavering support of resolutions on Puerto Rico, many of which have been adopted by consensus within the framework of this special committee, and call for their its expeditious implementation. In addition, we seize this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the adoption of yet another resolution on Puerto Rico this year by consensus. Chair, the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement held on 19th to 20th January 2024 in Kampala, the Republic of Uganda, addressed the Puerto Rico issue and in particularly expressed concern that the present political subordination of the Puerto Rican people impedes their sovereign decision-making regarding serious economic and social problems, including the present fiscal crisis, insolvency of the government of Puerto Rico, and the need to restructure public debt. Similarly, the heads of state and government expressed their concern with the legislation adopted in the U.S. Congress to impose a fiscal control board over the government of Puerto Rico, which will effectively infringe upon the limited power of the government of San Juan over its budgetary, fiscal, and other affairs. In addition, now member states urge the government of the United States to return to the Puerto Rican people the occupied lands and installations of Vieques Islands, and the Roosevelt Road Naval Station. To conclude, the Non-Aligned Movement calls on the government of the United States to assume its responsibility and expedite the process that will allow the Puerto Rican people to fully exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. I thank you, Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Uganda speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. I now recognize and give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay on behalf of CELAC.

Debate on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, CELAC. CELAC recognizes the importance of General Assembly Resolution 1514 of 14 December 1960, which contains the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to of colonial countries and peoples and constitutes a cornerstone of the political process promoted by the United Nations after the Second World War to end colonialism. On 28 August 2026, we will mark the 54th anniversary of the adoption by the Special Committee on Decolonization of its first resolution on Puerto Rico. Since then, 43 resolutions and decisions on Puerto Rico have been adopted. Adopted by consensus. These resolutions reaffirm, inter alia, the inalienable right of the Puerto Rican people to self-determination and independence pursuant to Resolution 1514 and request the General Assembly to review all aspects of the question of Puerto Rico in a comprehensive manner. The question of Puerto Rico has been present in the pronouncements adopted at previous CELAC summits since 2013. In this regard, we recall the special declaration on the question of Puerto Rico adopted on the occasion of the 6th summit held in Mexico City on 18 September 2021. In line with that declaration, CELAC reaffirms the Latin American and Caribbean character of Puerto Rico, as was emphasized at the highest level at the 5th Summit, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in January 2017, at the 6th Summit, Mexico, September 2021, the 7th Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 24 January, January 2023, and the 8th Summit in Kingston, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 1st and 2nd of March 2024. CELAC recognizes the efforts made under the resolutions adopted by the Special Committee on Decolonization regarding the situation in Puerto Rico, including the most recent resolution adopted on 16th June 2025. CELAC reiterates that the question of Puerto Rico is a matter of high interest to CELAC and undertakes to continue working within the framework of international law, particularly of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 15:14, entitled Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of December 14, 1960, to bring to a swift and unconditional end to colonialism and all its forms and manifestations in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Finally, Madam Chair, the community of Latin American and Caribbean states once again reaffirms its commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism poverty in all its forms and manifestations and reiterates its call to all member states of this organization to continue contributing in a positive manner to this objective. I thank you.

I thank Uruguay. Speaking on behalf of CELAC, thank you. I have no further request for the floor. We have now heard from the last speaker on our list. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all speakers for their statements today. We will now take a 10-minute break for consultations to allow us to have consultations with the committee. A 10-minute break. I would have to suspend our meeting for 10 minutes. Thank you. The meeting is suspended.

So whoever comes first.

Yes, yes.

Thank you very much. Thank you for your cooperation. Thank you. The meeting is resumed. I now draw the attention of members of the committee to the text of a draft resolution contained in document A/AC AC 109/2026/L7, entitled Special Committee Decision of 16th June 2025 Concerning Puerto Rico, as well as the report on this item prepared by the rapporteur of the committee contained in Document A/AC 109/2026/L7. L13, both available on the United Nations Digital Library. I now give the floor to the distinguished Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations to introduce Draft Resolution L8. Excellency, you have the floor.

Gracias, señor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, our delegation has the honor of presenting to the Special Decolonization Committee draft resolution on the question of Puerto Rico contained in Document A/AC.109/2026/L7 on behalf of Cuba, the Republic of Nicaragua, and the Russian Federation. We would like to begin by hailing the presence of a significant number of Puerto Rican petitioners who, with their participation, contribute to the work of the Special Decolonization Committee and testify to the relevance of this topic for the G24. As we have seen during the hearing with the petitioners, most of the interventions by the different political and social forces of the nation converge on the request to put an end to the colonial status of Puerto Rico. We have once again been witnesses of the urgent demand of the international community to act in favor of the will of the Puerto Rican people. The draft resolution that we are presenting today reaffirms once again the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to free determination and independence pursuant to Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly and the applicability of the fundamental principles of this resolution to the question of Puerto Rico. I also would like to reiterate that the Puerto Rican people constitute a Latin American and Caribbean nation that has its own and distinctive ident— national identity. This is to be added to the 43 three resolutions or decisions previously adopted by the Committee on the question of Puerto Rico since 1972. The text notes with concern that the current political subordination of the Puerto Rican people prevents the taking of sovereign decisions with regard to serious economic and social problems that affect it. This situation continues to be an obstacle to efforts to achieve sustainable development in the territory. It expresses furthermore its concern with regard to the imposition in June of 2016 of the fiscal control board appointed by the President of the United States to exercise powers of supervision on all issues related to fiscal topics, economic and budgetary aspects, as well as everything pertaining to the restructuring of the public debt of Puerto Rico. All this tightens the colonial situation of the country. The resolution also expresses a concern of the people of Puerto Rico for violent actions, including repression and intimidation against Puerto Rican independence activists contained in documents declassified by federal agencies of the United Nations. With this in mind, the resolution once again urges the government of the United States the United States to assume its responsibility and promote a process that allows the people of Puerto Rico to fully exercise its inalienable right to self-determination and independence in conformity with Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly and the resolutions and decisions of the Special Committee pertaining to Puerto Rico. It also requests the General Assembly to examine the issue of Puerto Rico in a in all its aspects and to take a position on this as soon as possible. This would contribute to having the people of Puerto Rico to be able in a sovereign way to take decisions to address its urgent economic and social needs. The draft resolution that we're examining also highlights the declarations of heads of state and government of the community of Latin American and Caribbean states, the Bolivarian Alliance for the People, our people, For Our America, the movement— Non-Aligned Movement, and other international fora that reiterate the inalienable rights of the people of Puerto Rico pursuant to Resolution 1514 of the General Assembly. I take this opportunity to thank Ambassador Ibrahim Alabi, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic and Rapporteur of the Special Committee on Decolonization, as well as the Secretary Secretary of the Committee for their support in preparing a broad and detailed report on the question of Puerto Rico, of which we take note with satisfaction in the draft resolution. Madam Chair, the 25th of July of 2026, on that date, 128 will have passed since the intervention of the United States in Puerto Rico. In spite of having so many years having passed of colonial domination, the national feelings of the Puerto Rican people have not been extinguished. This is a demonstration of the desire for independence that exists in this brethren nation. Wearing this in mind, the text that we're presenting to you today is extremely relevant, and we hope that we can once again count on the valuable and broad support of the committee for its adoption. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished permanent representative of Cuba. I now give the floor to those members of the committee wishing to explain their position before we take action on this draft resolution. I have no request for the floor. Distinguished delegates, I give the floor to the secretary of the committee to announce the additional co-sponsors of Draft Resolution A/AC.109/2026/L.7.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Since the issuance of Draft Resolution A/AC.109/2026/L.7, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has become an additional co-sponsor of the draft resolution. Are there any other delegations— are there any other delegations who wish to co-sponsor draft resolution L.7? If so, may I kindly request those delegations to indicate their wish by pressing the microphone button on their console so that they may be added to the list of sponsors and duly recorded? I see no additional requests to become co-sponsor. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. The sponsors have expressed the wish that draft Resolution L7 be adopted by the committee without a vote? May I take it that the committee wishes to act accordingly? I hear no objection. It is so decided. Draft Resolution L7 Draft Resolution L.7 is adopted without a vote. I shall now give the floor to those members of the committee wishing to explain their position after action on Draft Resolution L.7. I recognize the distinguished Permanent Representative of Cuba. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Cuba would like to thank all members of the Special Committee on Decolonization for the valuable and traditional support that they provided to the resolution on the colonial question of Puerto Rico. We particularly appreciate the words pronounced under this agenda item by the observer member countries of the committee. Their substantive and relevant interventions are a demonstration of their support to the cause of the Puerto Rican people. In this sense, we are grateful for the statement of Nam, CELAC, and the Group of Friends on behalf of the— in defense of the charter. We've taken due note of the contributions by the various representatives of the kindred country of Puerto Rico, which are contributing to their— our work with their words. For Cuba, the adoption of this resolution is a demonstration of our historic commitment to the kindred people of Puerto Rico and their patriots who throughout history have, have dedicated their lives to the struggle for independence and freedom. The adoption by consensus once again of this resolution which demands the inalienable right of the people of Puerto Rico to self-determination and independence is particularly significant and in the current context It sends out a firm political message for the region and for all peoples of goodwill who are either fighting or continue to fight for their self-determination. We reiterate to the people of Puerto Rico that they will always be able to count on Cuba and our firm solidarity with their legitimate cause. Thank you.

Representative of Cuba. We have heard the last speaker on this item. The special committee has thus concluded its consideration of the item special committee decision of 16th June 2025 concerning Puerto Rico, hearing of petitioners. The next plenary meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday, 25th June at 10 AM in this conference room to consider the question of the Falkland Islands/Malvinas. This meeting is adjourned.