Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, denounced in Bogota the intensification of the blockade imposed by the United States against his country, describing it as the most prolonged act of sustained economic aggression in contemporary history.
In his speech — delivered at the High-Level Forum between Africa and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which concluded Saturday in the Colombian capital — the Cuban foreign minister emphasized that, in addition to the unilateral siege spanning more than 60 years, new punitive measures have now been added, aimed at increasing the suffering of the Cuban people.
“Added to this is Cuba’s arbitrary inclusion on the unilateral list of States allegedly sponsoring terrorism, threats of military aggression, and the recent executive order seeking to impose a total siege on our fuel supplies—all based on the premise that economic deprivations and the resulting human toll will force our people to renounce their sovereignty and independence.”
Bruno Rodriguez went on to express his gratitude to the governments of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean that maintain their solidarity with the island and voice their support in international forums — including those who did so during this very forum.
The Cuban foreign minister affirmed that, despite this aggressive escalation, his country remains steadfast in its “unwavering” defense of its sovereignty.
“Our doors remain open to collaborate on South-South cooperation initiatives to which we can contribute. No smear campaign can, or ever will, erase the proven and significant impact of Cuba’s collaboration with countries across all regions over more than six decades, particularly in the field of healthcare.”
Cuba’s top diplomat further asserted that his nation is prepared to engage in serious and responsible dialogue with the United States government, but firmly rejected any interference in its internal affairs or in its political, economic, or social system. In his speech, Rodríguez also underscored that the divides separating developing nations from industrialized ones are the result of deliberate policies of exclusion and dependency.
“Today, we are witnessing the resurgence of aggressive imperialist practices—entirely unvarnished, or at best thinly masked beneath modern rhetoric. The doctrine of ‘peace through strength,’ championed by Washington, serves as the new guise for domination, military intervention, threats, and the use of force.”
He conveyed to his audience that, by uniting in the face of these challenges, they could prevent powers that proclaim themselves the embodiment of a singular civilization from continuing to impose their designs upon the world.
We bear, he argued, the responsibility to drive the construction of a truly just, democratic, and equitable international order—one in which the sovereign equality of States, international law, the self-determination of peoples, and genuine cooperation are unequivocally respected.
“In this endeavor, Cuba fully supports the legitimate demand of our African and Caribbean brethren for historical reparations—a demand that must occupy a central place in any joint agenda pursued by CELAC and the African Union within international forums,” he declared.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
