Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez questioned the U.S. government’s stance on Tuesday, March 31st, rejecting the notion that the measures applied against the island are punitive in nature.
The foreign minister argued that the economic blockade essentially represents a punitive action that contradicts Washington’s official statements regarding the nature of its current policies toward the Caribbean nation.
Bruno Rodríguez pointed out that the pressure exerted by the U.S. administration manifests itself through various coercive tactics, including threats against countries that attempt to export fuel to the island.
This statement refers to the executive order signed on January 29 of this year by U.S. President Donald Trump, which authorizes Washington to impose tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to Cuba.
He also denounced the persistent financial persecution of Cuban transactions abroad and the restrictions imposed on merchant ships operating in the nation’s ports, factors that limit the international trade of the largest of the Antilles.
The head of Cuban diplomacy also emphasized the impact of travel bans on US citizens and Cuba’s inclusion on lists he described as arbitrary, such as the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and the lists of restricted entities or accommodations.
Finally, the island’s foreign minister condemned the pressure exerted on Latin American and Caribbean governments to terminate their medical cooperation agreements with Cuba. Rodríguez maintained that these maneuvers seek to deprive the country of its legitimate income, reaffirming that such actions have the sole purpose of punishing the Cuban people by weakening their international cooperation programs.
Along the same lines, Bruno Rodríguez recently denounced, through his official channels, that the Trump Administration is exerting pressure and blackmail on Latin American and Caribbean countries “to ensure that the Cuban Medical Brigades leave all the countries in the region where they are located.”
Additionally, Cuba’s top diplomat criticized the promises of resources that the U.S. government offers in exchange for expelling Cuban collaborators. Rodríguez asserted that such financial and material benefits are deceptive, saying, “We know they will never reach or benefit those communities.”
IMAGE CREDIT: Bruno Rodríguez denounced the persistent financial persecution of Cuban transactions abroad and the restrictions imposed on merchant ships operating in the nation’s ports. Photo: Xinhua.
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
