A/HRC/39/16 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirtieth session from 7 to 18 May 2018. The review of Cuba was held at the 16th meeting, on 16 May 2018. The delegation of Cuba was headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla. At its 18th meeting, held on 18 May 2018, the Working Group adopted the report on Cuba. 2. On 10 January 2018, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Cuba: Egypt, Nepal and Peru. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Cuba: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/30/CUB/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/30/CUB/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/30/CUB/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Liechtenstein, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Cuba through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation presented the national report, highlighting the fact that it was the result of a participatory, consultative process involving both government and civil society entities. 6. Under the governments imposed by the United States until 1959, some 45 per cent of children had not attended school; 85 per cent of persons had lacked running water; farmers had lived without rights and in poverty, without ever owning the land they tilled; and immigrants had been brutally exploited. Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and torture had been recurrent and discrimination, poverty and exclusion had been rampant. The Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro Ruz had transformed that situation and, since then, Cuba had continued to improve its economic and social development model with the aim of strengthening its political system, which enjoyed the full support of the people. 7. Cuba had continued to strengthen its legal and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of human rights and had improved the mechanisms available to the population to denounce any infringement of their rights. The protection of the right to life continued to be the highest priority and law enforcement authorities fulfilled their duties in accordance with the law and were subject to rigorous control processes and popular scrutiny. 8. Cuba had strengthened people’s participation in government decision-making and the exercise of lawfully recognized freedoms, including civil and political rights. In Cuba, there was a plurality of ideas and rich debates about different aspects of the civil, political, economic, social and cultural life of the nation. Indeed, more than 1.6 million Cubans had participated in the consultation on the Conceptualization of the Cuban Economic and Social 2