The U.S. Blockade of Cuba Continues to Cause Substantial Losses

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 16 (acn) The economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba has caused losses estimated at over 121 billion dollars in the more than 50 years of its implementation, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in this capital on Wednesday.

During the presentation of the draft resolution 69/5, to be assessed at the United Nations General Assembly on October 27, Rodriguez, member of the Politburo of the Cuban Communist Party and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that its effect is currently in force and limits the island's commercial relations with other nations.
In the presence of the national and international press met at the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, he acknowledged the proposals of President Barack Obama to achieve its total elimination and the coming into effect of some resolutions aimed at modifying its implementation, but of limited in scope.
He specified that the process towards normalization of bilateral relations necessarily involves the lifting of the blockade, which constitutes the biggest obstacle to the economic, commercial and financial relations between Cuba and the United States and the rest of the world, and to the development of all the potential of the island's economy.
Bruno Rodriguez said Obama has unlimited possibilities to significantly modify current restrictions and empty the blockade of its main content, by exercising with determination his executive prerogatives.
In the press conference the Cuban Foreign Minister set out several cases of the validity of that cruel measure, which prevents, for example, the sale of Agilente 5975C Gas chromatographs used for research and diagnostics in the biochemical, pharmaceutical and medical areas.
This answer was given days after the announcement of the decision of reestablishing diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States on December 17.
Even though the U.S. president has called on his country's Congress to work to eliminate the blockade against Cuba, it is still in force, so like every year since 1992, the island will present the draft resolution at the United Nations, where the majority of countries has supported 23 times the cause of the Cuban people against this unilateral measure.