U.S. Blockade of Cuba: Main Obstacle to Development, Says FM

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 18 (acn) The US blockade against Cuba is still in force and will continue to be, unless other decisions are adopted, the most important obstacle to the social and economic development of the island, and causes hardship to the Cuban people, reaffirmed on Thursday in this capital Foreign Minister (FM) Bruno Rodriguez.

In a press conference at the Hall of Ambassadors of the Tryp Habana Libre Hotel in Havana, the Cuban FM said that the elimination of this unjust policy will be essential to move towards the normalization of bilateral relations with the northern country.
Three days before President Barack Obama begins his visit to the island, the FM expressed the willingness of the Caribbean nation to continue working on building a new relationship with the United States in full exercise of sovereignty and independence.
"We won't make any internal changes that are and will be the exclusive decision of our people," he stressed.
Cuba will not give up not even one of its principles and in the coming days will receive President Obama with the hospitality and respect characterizing the Cuban people, he emphasized in his statement.
Obama's stay in Cuba from March 20th to the 22nd will contribute to deepen the new era in bilateral ties, although major differences persist in terms of political systems, democracy, human rights, international law enforcement, differences in the concept of sovereignty, the preservation peace, etc.
The FM made it clear that Cuba seeks a different relationship with the United States and of the United States with Latin America and the Caribbean. He condemned the extension of the executive order by the Obama administration that describes Venezuela as a threat to the security of the northern nation and demanded its repeal.
On the new regulations modifying aspects of sanctions against Cuba, among which the use of dollars in Cuba's international transactions and more flexible rules for U.S. citizens to travel to the island stand out, he said it is the fourth such announcement made by the U.S. government since December 17, 2014.
Previous measures did nothing to eliminate the oppressive and comprehensive nature of the blockade, so we must wait to see the scope of these new regulations, said the Minister before reiterating that although trips to Cuba have been made more flexible under the 12 categories authorized the prohibition for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba persists.
He also announced that Cuba will no longer apply the 10 percent tax on U.S. dollars to their entry, a sovereign decision made two days after the United States decided to allow the Caribbean country to use that nation's currency in its international financial transactions.
He clarified that although the suspension of the application of the tax was announced, the measure will come into force only after Cuba checks that persecution of its financial transactions in the world has finally ceased.
Rodriguez said that the application of the 10 percent tax began in 2004, in the face of the fierce persecution by the U.S. government of the island's transactions and as compensation for national financial institutions for risk.
This does not mean that financial relations between Cuba and the U.S. have normalized, because the island's banks can not establish correspondent accounts in U.S. banks, which means that payments to that country will continue to be made through third parties, he informed.
He questioned why the U.S. government did not include in Tuesday's measures permission for Cuban banks open correspondent accounts in similar U.S. institutions.
In order to make the use of U.S. dollars in Cuba's financial transactions viable, political statements will be required, numerous legal clarifications, that the U.S. government gives legal security to foreign and U.S. banks, pointed out Rodriguez.
In this regard he said the financial persecution against Cuba has cumulative effects, since fines have been applied to international banks worth over 14 billion dollars for relating with Cuba in a legitimate way.
Rodriguez went into great detail about the agenda of the U.S. president in Cuba. He announced he will stroll through Old Havana on Sunday and visit the Cathedral of Havana. On Monday, March 21, he will pay tribute to National Hero Jose Marti, and will hold official talks with Army General Raul Castro, President of the councils of State and Ministers.
Obama will speak to the broad and diverse Cuban civil society at the Alicia Alonso Gran Teatro de La Habana, when he will have the opportunity to speak directly to the people, because his speech will be broadcast live on radio and television and every person will form his or her opinion on what he will say, specified the FM.
Obama's visit will be an important opportunity to identify the new steps to be taken as a contribution to the process of normalization of relations between the countries, always on the basis of equality and for the benefit of the peoples, emphasized Bruno Rodriguez.