The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba for almost six decades is the most unjust, severe and extended system of unilateral sanctions ever applied against any country.
In the introduction of the Annual Report on the damage caused to Cuba by the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for 60 years, it is stated:
From April of 2017 up to March of 2018, the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US government against Cuba has been intensified and applied with strict rigor. This policy continues to be the principal obstacle to the growth of the Cuban economy and to the full enjoyment of all the human rights of the people of Cuba, constituting a serious challenge for the implementation of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals.
The accumulated harm because of the blockade being applied for almost six decades reaches the figure of $ 933,000,678,000 taking into account the depreciation of the dollar as compared to the price of gold on the international market. At today’s prices, the blockade has caused damages that can be calculated at over $ 134,499,800,000. In the period considered by this report, the blockade has caused losses to Cuba for around $ 4,321,200,000.
This policy of economic aggression, along with the promotion of internal subversion corroborates the aim of the US government to destroy the economic, political and social system that has been freely chosen by the Cuban people.
President Trump’s adoption of the Presidential Memorandum entitled “Strengthening the Policy of the United States towards Cuba” on 16 June 2017, which among its aims renewed the intensification of the blockade against the Island, represents a serious setback to bilateral relations with Cuba. The Regulations and provisions issued in November of 2017 by the Departments of the Treasury, State and Commerce of the United States have imposed additional obstacles on the limited opportunities for the US business community in Cuba and they have restricted, even more, the right of Americans to travel to the Island.
The new sanctions against Cuba have caused a visible decrease in visits coming from the US and they have generated greater obstacles for the economic and trade relations of Cuban companies with potential American and third country partners. These measures not only affect the Cuban State economy but they also affect the Cuban private sector. The strengthening of the extraterritorial application of the blockade has been another of the distinctive manifestations of the intensification of this policy, with a marked effect on Cuba’s international financial and loan relations.
The blockade constitutes a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of all the Cuban people and it qualifies as an act of genocide by virtue of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948. It violates the United Nations Charter and international law and constitutes an obstacle for international cooperation.
The United States must end, in a unilateral and unconditional manner, the unfair blockade which for almost 60 years has imposed suffering on the Cuban people.
Therefore on 31 October 2018 the Cuban government will denounce the tightening of this policy and will once again present to the UN General Assembly the draft resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.
We invite you to learn more about the effects of the blockade on Cuba in the Report of Cuba 2018. Website: www.cubavsbloqueo.cu (Spanish, English and French).
