Addis Ababa. June 1, 2021. The program ADDIS DIALOGUE, of the Ethiopian television channel Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), had today as a guest the Ambassador of Cuba in Ethiopia, Vilma Thomas Ramírez, who addressed various topics of interest.
In response to questions from journalist Sintayehu Tamirat Nigatu, the Ambassador gave a broad explanation about the impact that the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba has had - for more than six decades - on all areas of the economic and social development of the country, as well as in the life of Cuban families.
The representative of the Greater Antilles in Ethiopia, exemplified how the longest system of unilateral sanctions maintained against any nation in the world, and designed to suffocate the Cuban people and force them to accept a change in the political system against their will, has affected well-being of generations of Cubans who were born and have lived their entire lives under the blockade.
The Cuban diplomat also referred to the opportunistic and unprecedented reinforcement of the blockade by the Donald Trump administration, which led to the adoption of 243 measures against Cuba in 4 years, which were maintained or reinforced when Cuba, like in the rest of the world, was facing the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resistance and heroism of the Cuban people, in the face of the great challenges they have had to face in these years, were also underlined by the Ambassador, who proudly highlighted the accomplishment of having 5 vaccine candidates against SARS COV-2 and the expectation to be able to vaccinate the entire population of the archipelago before the end of the year, based on our own efforts.
The issue of human rights and its use by the United States as a justification to support its policy against Cuba was also addressed, calling attention to the hypocrisy of the superpower that has taken to extreme limits, a policy that violates the human rights of all the Cuban people and obstructs Cuba's right to development. There is no legal or moral justification for maintaining the blockade, beyond the political stubbornness of the US Government to control the future of Cubans and pretend to impose its will on us, stated Ambassador Vilma.
Finally, the Cuban Head of Mission pointed out that on June 23rd, the UN member states will take action for the twenty-ninth consecutive time on a resolution on the United States' blockade of Cuba that will be presented to the General Assembly of the organization. It is expected that once again the absolute majority of the international community will call for the immediate and unconditional lifting of this criminal policy that violates international law.
In the interview, which will be broadcast next week, other topics of interest were addressed, such as the unfair inclusion of Cuba in the unilateral and spurious list drawn up by the United States on alleged countries sponsoring terrorism and the progress of bilateral relations between Cuba and Ethiopia.
