Enrique Orta González
Cape Town - Cuba and the vast majority of the world are convinced that our country will not truly be able to live without the effects of the US embargo until all sanctions are lifted, the 243 measures imposed by Donald Trump are reversed, and the country is removed from the State Department List of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
The US embargo impacts every aspect of Cubans’ lives.
“Every possible means should be undertaken to weaken the economic life of Cuba”, the assistant Secretary of State, Lester D Mallory, wrote in an April 1960 memo.
The goal of the Kennedy administration and those after him was clear: “To bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.”
The embargo has failed in destroying the Cuban Revolution and overthrowing the government, but succeeded in weakening the national economy and Cuba’s trade relations with other countries, because it has direct effects on other countries’ relations with Cuba.
Cuban Foreign Minister Mr Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla described the embargo as “vast, cruel and immoral” in his speech at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
He added: “The government of the US is reinforcing pressure on banking institutions, companies and governments throughout the world interested in establishing relations with Cuba and the US continues to obsessively pursue all sources of foreign exchange coming into the country to bring about the economic collapse of the nation”.
The accumulated damages in more than 60 years of embargo has caused severe damage to the Cuban economy running into billions of dollars. How much the Cuban economy could not have done with all those resources?
In the context of a global crisis in the health, energy, food and environmental sectors, Cuba has had to face the unprecedented tightening of the US embargo. Since 2019, the US government has escalated the embargo to an extreme dimension, crueller and inhumane, to deliberately inflict the greatest possible damage on Cuban families.
The tightening of the embargo includes overly aggressive measures imposed by the Trump government that, for the most part, are still in force as a continuation of the US policy of maximum pressure against Cuba.
Numerous companies in the world that have worked with Cuba for years, have cut off their relations with the island out of fear of the embargo.
Cuba’s banking relations have weakened due to the banks’ fear of reprisals from the US government.
In short, the embargo constitutes a massive, flagrant, and systematic violation of the human rights of Cuban men and women. It represents the most unjust, severe, and prolonged system of unilateral coercive measures applied against any country. It is the permanent pandemic and the constant hurricane for Cubans.
That’s why Cuba has since 1992 presented the draft “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US against Cuba” for the consideration of the UN General Assembly.
Thirty years we have presented this resolution, 30 years we have had the support of an overwhelming majority of UN members, 30 years in which the US has kept and even reinforced the sanctions that hinder Cuba’s development.
On November 2 and 3, for the 30th time, the UN General Assembly demanded the end of the embargo.
A large majority of states expressed their support to the government and people of Cuba against this cruel policy.
This resolution has historically received the almost unanimous support of UN members – a reliable sign of support to end the embargo against Cuba. This year was no different. A total of 185 countries voted in favour of lifting this inhumane policy. Only the US and Israel voted against it, reaffirming their isolated position.
We reiterate our gratitude for the valuable support of all countries that voted in favour of our resolution, especially South Africa.
It is and will always be very touching to receive the support of our South African brothers and sisters.
González is the Cuban Ambassador to South Africa
Cape Times