Cuba demands total and unconditional lifting of the US blockade

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 18 (ACN) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla demanded on Twitter the total and unconditional lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US government on Cuba.

Six years after the announcement of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between both nations and the beginning of a process of normalization of bilateral ties, the Foreign Minister said that the blockade policy has been the fundamental impediment to the development of dialogue and respectful cooperation.

Rodríguez Parrilla acknowledged that despite the maintained blockade, there was progress as of December 17, 2014, during the administration of Barack Obama, but this was easily and quickly destroyed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"Six years ago, Cuba and the United States decided to advance in dialogue and respectful cooperation among equals. The blockade was the fundamental impediment, but there was progress that Trump easily and quickly set out to destroy. The blockade must be lifted totally and unconditionally," tweeted the Cuban Foreign Minister.

On December 17, 2014, Cuba and the United States announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations and the beginning of a process of normalization of their bilateral ties.

In spite of the progress made in the following two years, as of 2017, with the arrival of the Trump administration to the White House, there was a setback in bilateral ties and a tightening of the blockade, with measures such as restrictions on travel and trade, among others.

The cruel and inhumane U.S. policy against Cuba has been universally rejected for almost 60 years, expressed through the overwhelming votes in the United Nations General Assembly in favor of its lifting for more than a quarter of a century.