The impact of the US blockade on the Cuban people is impossible to hide, Cuban FM asserts

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 22 (ACN) Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Cuban foreign minister, said today that the severe impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States is impossible to hide.

On Twitter, the head of Cuban diplomacy affirmed that denying the existence of a policy that chokes and kills is a cynical lie.

Rodriguez Parrilla also referred that for six decades, Cuba has shown resistance, creativity and heroism in the face of a siege that he describes as an act of genocide.

According to official figures, only between April 2019 and December 2020, the U.S. blockade caused damages to Cuba amounting to 9.157 billion dollars at current prices, 436 million dollars of damages per month on average.

In the last five years, losses exceeded 17 billion dollars and the accumulated damages in six decades reach the 147 billion dollars.

The UN General Assembly reaffirmed in June 2021 its support for the Cuban resolution to put an end to this policy, with 184 votes in favor, two against and three abstentions.

In presenting the report, Cuban foreign minister highlighted health as one of the main sectors affected by the unilateral policy, a situation that worsened during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

He also denounced the measures that directly harm the Cuban people, such as the obstacles to the sending of remittances, the normal development of links with Cubans living in the United States and family reunification.

Rodriguez Parrilla added that all this is complemented by a smear campaign financed with the federal budget, with the purpose of destabilizing the island.

Regarding the financial persecution, he described it as a ruthless hunt that harms transactions with third countries, the ability to pay and collect payments and the possibility of accessing credit.