Ambassador Sergio Vigoa of the Uz offered a Press Conference with the main news media in Windhoek, to publicize a summary of Cuba's Report under Resolution 78/7 of the United Nations General Assembly entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.”
The diplomat explained that the presentation of the Resolution in the General Assembly will take place on October 29th, where it is expected that numerous heads of delegations will refer to the content of the document and explain their vote in favor; in the same way that it is predictable that the United States delegation will speak against it and justify its position with fallacious arguments.
“We are sure that the Cuban Resolution will be approved on October 30, like every year, by the vast majority of UN member countries, with the shameful exception of the United States and some other puppets that join them,” he stressed.
In a room full of journalists from Namibia's main media outlets, Vigoa de la Uz explained in detail the web of acts and decrees on which the disastrous blockade policy against Cuba is based, since the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917 in that Cuba was included and is renewed year after year by all North American presidents; going through the Memorandum of Lester D. Mallory, Vice Secretary of State and Assistant for Inter-American Affairs, formulated on April 6, 1960, which urges depriving Cuba of money and supplies; to the maximum pressure and suffocation policies of the Trump and Biden governments.
The representative of the Cuban government in Namibia gave updated details of the genocidal blockade that intensified exponentially with limitations on remittances, the prohibition of travel and cultural and academic exchanges, the activation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, the reincorporation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, the aggressive campaign against Cuban medical brigades, more financial persecution, threats to navigators, obstruction of donations during the pandemic, among many other measures.
Faced with marked interest from the media, Vigoa de la Uz said that among Donald Trump's 243 measures to tighten the blockade, one of the most damaging is the inclusion of Cuba in the unilateral list of the State Department that indicates the countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism.
The ambassador explained that for this reason, from January 2021 to February 2024, around 1,064 actions were reported by foreign banks, reporting their refusal to offer services to Cuban entities, including transfers for the purchase of essential consumer goods for the town.
He added that, in the same way, it has led to the closure of contracts, loss of relationships with banking entities that had worked with Cuba, indebtedness, delays in the sending and receipt of funds, food, medicines, fuel, materials, spare parts; impossibility for citizens of more than 43 countries, mainly European, to apply for a Visa through the ESTA system; among many other obstacles.
During his intervention, the information provided about the cost of the US blockade against Cuba on the lives of Cubans was shocking, referring to the sectors of health, tourism, sports, education, culture, energy; as well as the impacts on economic development, trade and finance.
At this point, he took the opportunity to offer an update to the press on the situation that Cuba is experiencing after the fall and recovery of its National Electroenergetic System and the effects of Hurricane Oscar in the east of the Island. After both events, with great impact on the country, the necessary resources were secured to protect the people and compensate for damages in the shortest possible time.
Equally of interest was the data provided on the major obstacles that this aggressive policy poses to the use of informatics tools and services, including the inability to access hundreds of websites and applications.
In another part of his speech, Vigoa de la Uz explained that the public, cooperative and private sectors are under attack, while the new forms of economic management in the country have impediments to their development possibilities.
“Cuba cannot access credits from international financial institutions,” he explained. “The acquisition of oxygen and fuel, the availability of energy, transportation and foreign trade, the purchase of raw materials or medicines are some of the areas that have been greatly affected by US policy.”
The audience described the conference in which the ambassador explained the methodology for calculating the impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade based on Decree 290, issued by the Council of Ministers in 2012, as very substantial and interesting, the data of which supports claims of compensation to the US government for damages and economic losses arising from this concept.
The diplomat also announced the prerogatives of the US president to modify the application of this old and monstrous policy and the aspects of the blockade that must have the approval of the US Congress.
At the end of his speech, the Cuban ambassador ratified the universal rejection of the blockade. "In the last period, more than two thousand public acts, statements and documents adopted at international events have been recorded condemning the blockade, as well as more than 880 statements against Title III of the Helms-Burton Act and the inclusion of our country in the unilateral list of state sponsors of terrorism,” he commented.
He further argued that, ignoring the clear position of the international community and the provisions of successive resolutions on the subject in the United Nations General Assembly, the US government and its regulatory agencies rigorously apply the coercive measures that make up the complex framework of the economic, commercial and financial blockade against our country.
“The Cuban Resolution has historically received almost unanimous support from the members of the United Nations, which is a clear demonstration of recognition and support for the need to put an end to this aggressive and retrograde policy of blockade against the largest of the Antilles”, he sentenced.
Finally, he thanked the people and government of Namibia for the countless displays of solidarity and support for the Cuban Revolution and for the solidity with which this brother country has defended our Island on the 32 consecutive occasions that the Resolution has been presented at the UN, as well as in other international and regional events where Namibia has raised its voice in defense of our independence and sovereignty.
