Statement by the ‘Antonio Maceo’ Association of Cubans Resident in Jamaica against the US government’s blockade and attacks against Cuba
The commercial, economic and financial blockade of the Government of the United States against the Republic of Cuba began on October 19, 1960, less than two years after the triumph of the Revolution. On February 7, 1962 it was extended to include virtually all commercial relations.
This is the most complete, systematic and long-standing blockade against any country in the history of mankind.
The cynical and abominable Memorandum of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lester Mallory on April 6, 1960, defined his purposes of changing the will of the Cuban people to support the Revolution, by subjecting the country to hunger, enormous hardships and unbearable economic difficulties.
For almost six decades, the blockade policy against Cuba has been implemented by way of a complex network of US presidential laws and regulations.
This policy has already been condemned on 26 occasions by the international community, through the vote of the overwhelming majority of the UN member states, including the main US allies.
The blockade continues to be a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of all Cubans and can be described as an act of genocide. It is an obstacle to international cooperation and a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
Recently, the administration headed by President Donald Trump has worsened economic pressures against Cuba. As the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, stated in his speech to the UN General Assembly on September 28:
‘In recent months the US administration has started to apply non-conventional criminal measures to prevent the supply of fuel to our country from various markets, by threatening and harassing companies that transport it, ship registration authorities, shipping companies and insurance companies.’
Last year, the US government imposed additional obstacles to foreign trade and increased harassment of our banking and financial relations with the rest of the world. It has extremely limited trips, remittances and any interaction between the Cuban and the American peoples, while hindering the ties and contacts of Cubans living in the United States with their homeland.
The blockade continues to be the biggest obstacle to the economic development of our country and imposes enormous difficulties and sufferings on the Cuban nation.
Therefore, we are now called to provide our brothers in Cuba with the greatest support and solidarity.
Like most Cubans in our country and worldwide, we demand the immediate and unconditional end of the economic blockade and attacks against Cuba, and the removal of the Military Base from our territory, which is still run there against the will of the Cuban people.
Likewise, we stand for the expressed will of the Cuban government to develop -even under the current circumstances- a civilized relationship with the American people, based on mutual respect and recognition of our differences.
Long live free Cuba,
‘Antonio Maceo’ Association of Cubans Resident in Jamaica
6 October, 2019