Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
CUBA has urged the United Nations General Assembly to take decisive action against the United States’ economic, commercial and financial blockade and said the decades-old sanctions have intensified in recent months, worsening the humanitarian situation and violating the rights of Cubans.
Addressing the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said the blockade, which has been in place for nearly 70 years, has become more severe, resulting in shortages of food, fuel and medicines while placing immense pressure on the country’s health system and economy.
“The blockade is silently killing and suffocating Cuba. It constitutes a ruthless crime, for which the United Nations also bears responsibility,” he said.
Minister Rodríguez called on the General Assembly to issue a clear condemnation of the sanctions and said the world body has a duty to safeguard international peace, security and human rights.
He accused the United States of escalating pressure on Cuba through what he described as an “energy blockade” and said the measures were preventing the island nation from accessing fuel supplies for both commercial and humanitarian purposes.
The Cuban Foreign Minister also said USA has intensified the use of extraterritorial sanctions, including secondary sanctions, which were aimed at provoking a humanitarian crisis and destabilising the country.
“These actions aim to pave the way for, or force, a presidential order for, an imperialist military intervention that would cause a bloodbath and countless losses of Cuban and American lives,” he said.
Minister Rodríguez said the sanctions have contributed to prolonged electricity outages, shortages of clean drinking water, medicines and basic commodities, with vulnerable groups, including children and mothers, bearing the greatest burden.
“They know the anguish of not having medicine for a sick person. They are burdened by food shortages or the high prices of basic necessities,” he said.
He said Cuba’s infant mortality rate had risen from four to 9.9 deaths per 1 000 live births, attributing the increase to shortages of medical equipment, medicines and treatment.
Minister Rodríguez said survival rates among children and young people diagnosed with cancer have also declined from 85 percent to 65 percent during periods when the sanctions were at their toughest.
“The blockade suffocates and kills silently,” he said.
Minister Rodríguez dismissed US claims that the sanctions target only the Cuban Government and said ordinary Cubans continue to bear the full impact of the measures.
“Ask the Cuban people if they suffer from the blockade or not,” he said.
He also criticised US foreign policy and accused USA of failing to respond to Cuba’s concerns while referring to past American military interventions and support for military dictatorships in Latin America.
The United States has consistently maintained that its sanctions are intended to promote democracy, human rights and political freedoms in Cuba, while Cuba argues that the measures amount to collective punishment of the Cuban people.
