The economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government on Cuba constitutes an undeniable reality that amounts to two trillion 103 billion 897 million dollars in more than six decades, said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez during a press conference in Havana on Wednesday.
“The full impact of this criminal policy can never be fully quantified because there is damage that cannot be translated into numbers; it is psychological and emotional, an expression of the human cost of this ruthless conduct for more than 60 years,” the minister insisted.
During the presentation of Cuba’s report on the impact of the US blockade from March 2024 to February 2025, the Foreign Minister announced that on October 28 and 29, the United Nations General Assembly will consider the Caribbean nation’s report for the thirty-third time in an international context marked by unilateralism and the aggressive policy of the US government against the Cuban people.
Bruno Rodríguez stated that compared to the previous report, the damages caused by this monstrosity had increased by almost 50 percent, with estimated losses amounting to $7,556.1 million. These figures demonstrate the extreme intensification of the hostile policy against the island and its impact on the economy, human rights, and the quality of life of Cubans.
These are exorbitant figures with an oppressive effect, the Minister of Foreign Affairs denounced, pointing out that just 19 minutes of blockade represent the cost of the wheelchairs needed by special education schools in the country. He explained that if it hadn’t been for the blockade, the Gross Domestic Product could have grown by 9.2 percent this past year.
He criticized Washington’s actions against Cuba, which include fraudulent lawsuits, sanctions against companies, and financial restrictions affecting citizens of third countries. These actions cause suffering for the Cuban population. However, the Cuban people demonstrate resilience and creativity in the face of adversity.
In his speech, Cuba’s top diplomat warned about the U.S. government’s military actions against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which he considered a threat to regional peace. He urged international organizations to recognize Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace and to mobilize in defense of international law, respecting the United Nations Charter. Bruno Rodriguez also harshly condemned U.S. support for Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and expressed Cuba’s unwavering solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian people.
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
