Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, denounced the excessive and aggressive US military presence in the Caribbean Sea, which he considered a threat to Latin America and the entire region.
The head of Cuban diplomacy declared that the concentration of US naval assets constitutes a violation of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations.
According to the foreign minister, the military escalation responds to a warmongering objective directed against the Venezuelan government, with the risk of provoking an armed conflict with unpredictable consequences.
Bruno Rodríguez stated that the pretext of combating illegal drug trafficking is untenable, since the deployment of heavily armed naval forces is not consistent with fighting criminal organizations.
The minister warned that an aggression of this magnitude could cause an incalculable number of deaths and generate violence and instability in the hemisphere, and he appealed to the common sense, solidarity, spirit of peace, and ethics of the international community, and to the American people, to stop it.
Due to its importance, we reproduce the statement in its entirety, published this Tuesday on the official website of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cubaminrex.
Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, on the presence of the United States in the Caribbean and its threat to the region.
The excessive and aggressive military presence of the U.S. in the region constitutes a threat to Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole.
Driven by the Secretary of State, the primary and immediate objective is the violent overthrow of the Venezuelan government through the use of U.S. military force—a highly dangerous and irresponsible action with unpredictable and incalculable consequences.
Given the level of the manifest threat, this constitutes a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
A military escalation could result in a first-rate international crime.
This aggression stems from a warmongering objective not shared by the majority of the American people.
If war breaks out, where will the Secretary of State be? Does anyone really think he will accompany young soldiers to risk their lives in a battle that is not theirs? One should ask him if he ever served in the military.
The pretext of combating illegal drug trafficking is an untenable lie.
Such a concentration of naval assets, so large and sophisticated, with such destructive volume and firepower, is not deployed to combat criminal organizations.
The U.S. government could cause an incalculable number of deaths and create a scenario of violence and instability in the hemisphere that would be unimaginable.
The threat of war does not solve any of the United States’ internal political and economic problems; it diminishes the possibility of a constructive and understanding relationship in the region, while demonstrating to new generations the long-standing distrust of the Latin American and Caribbean peoples regarding the ambitions of their powerful northern neighbor.
Cuba denounces this military escalation in the strongest possible terms and reaffirms its full support for Venezuela.
We also appeal to the common sense, solidarity, spirit of peace, and ethics of the international community.
We appeal to the people of the United States to stop this madness.
IMAGE CREDIT: ACN | Photo: Taken from Cubaminrex
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
