Pretoria, April 16, 2020.- The Cuban Ambassador in South Africa, Rodolfo Benítez Verson, participated as a special guest in the radio program "Sunrise", by the national station "South African FM", in its broadcast today.
The interview took place as a result of the publication, in various South African newspapers, of an article of his authorship about the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic in Cuba and the world and the international solidarity of the Island on this front, despite the reinforcement of the criminal blockade and hostilities of the United States government.
Ambassador Benítez informed that Cuba has already deployed hundreds of health professionals in 21 countries that have requested medical assistance to battle the pandemic, motivated by the deeply humanistic character of the Cuban Revolution, based on the principle of sharing what Cuba has, even if it's scarce.
The diplomat denounced that while the world needs more co-operation and solidarity, the US government intensifies the blockade and aggression against Cuba and that the Covid-19 has exposed even more clearly the murderous constraints that blockade imposes on the Cuban people.
"Maintaining and intensifying the blockade in the midst of a global pandemic as an instrument to generate suffering on our people, makes it even crueler", he said, emphasizing that the blockade is the fundamental impediment for Cuba to acquire many medicines, equipment and materials required to face the pandemic and affects the ability to respond to the emergency and to provide and receive international aid.
Furthermore, he stressed that when recognition of Cuba’s solidarity with other nations multiply in the world, Washington insists on a denigrating campaign against the presence of Cuban doctors in other countries and their noble work.
He affirmed that this smear campaign by the Trump Administration is immoral in all circumstances, but in the present context, when we should all strive to promote aid to those who need it, it is particularly offensive to Cuba and the rest of the world.
The Cuban representative described the decision of the United States to suspend funds to the World Health Organization (WHO) as an attack on the international community, a criminal action in the midst of a pandemic, to try to divert attention to its ineffective response to COVID 19 in the United States. He emphasized that Cuba will continue with the WHO defending solidarity and cooperation, which are absolutely necessary to defeat the virus.
The Cuban Ambassador thanked the important statements in solidarity with Cuba made by the ANC, the South African Communist Party, Cosatu, and many other organizations and peoples in South Africa.