Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal denounced the intensification of US coercive measures against the island in an interview with PBS NewsHour.
The diplomat also asserted that Washington maintains a policy of pressure that directly affects the living conditions of the Cuban people.
During the interview, Josefina Vidal stated that despite contacts and talks between the two countries, the United States has continued to implement restrictive actions “that significantly affect Cuba and the Cuban people.”
Vidal noted that the pressure on the Caribbean nation “has increased and strengthened” through the imposition of an “energy blockade” and the application of new secondary sanctions targeting foreign entities and individuals with commercial ties or operations with Cuba.
However, she highlighted the country’s efforts to address the complex economic and energy situation, including the accelerated push for renewable energy sources.
“We have doubled energy production from renewable sources in just a few months, mainly through a very rapid investment in photovoltaic energy.”
Later in the interview, the diplomat rejected accusations made by the United States regarding the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes three decades ago, calling them “illegitimate, illegal, and completely fraudulent.”
She stated that the entire responsibility for those events lies with the U.S. government, because Cuba “exhausted all diplomatic channels” to warn about the repeated violations of its airspace.
The deputy foreign minister also reiterated that Cuba “is not and has never been a threat to the United States” and reminded everyone that the only foreign military base on Cuban territory is the Guantanamo Naval Base, maintained by Washington “against the will of the Cuban government and people.”
She also questioned the lack of evidence presented by the United States to support its accusations against the island and asserted that such arguments constitute “a pretext” to justify an escalation of sanctions.
Josefina Vidal considered that hostility has historically marked bilateral relations and emphasized that the defense of national sovereignty is a permanent priority for Cuba.
She also criticized recent statements by the U.S. Secretary of State, considering them to reflect a lack of understanding of Cuban history and an intention to impose a political, economic, and foreign policy model on Cubans.
“We are proud of our independence and our determination to defend it,” emphasized the Cuban deputy foreign minister.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
