This week, Ambassador of Cuba to Belize Lissette Perez said that the ongoing civil unrest in Cuba is deeply rooted in external pressures being brought on the United States, describing the situation as "fighting a war without weapons."
Perez said that the Cuban people broke out into riots at various points all over the country on Sunday, July 11, as they continue to suffer from food and medicine shortages. She stressed that the severity of the situation is caused by a combination of the economic embargo that the United States has in place for the past 63 years, the COVID-19 global pandemic, and even said that Cuba has been subject to cyber attacks from out of the US.
“It is very cruel of the US, in this kind of situation, to move mainstream and social networks to attack Cuba," Perez said. "The US speaks to Human Rights but will not remove the blockade. Now in their media is saying that Cuba has problems and shortages of this or that, but won’t move the blockade, which is the main challenge to the Cuban economy."
She emphasized that the embargo has affected all of the nation's major sources of income and impaired trade relations with countries around the world, making it difficult for an island nation that needs to rely on trade to supplement things it does not have locally.
Two former Prime Ministers of Belize, Dean Barrow, and Said Musa issued statements of support to the Ambassador, the government, and the people of Cuba this week, adding to the messages of solidarity sent by the Government of Belize via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Perez notes that this support builds on the fact that 184 United Nations member countries, voted in June that the Us should end the embargo. The 2021 vote represents the 29th consecutive year that UN countries have voted to end the embargo
Meanwhile in Cuba, the government has offered some reprieve to the people by removing limits on food and medicine that travelers can bring into the country, and waving customs duties charged on these items. This measure will remain in place for the remainder of the year Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz announced on Wednesday.
Taken from "The Reporter newspaper", Belize