The US economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba hinders the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the ongoing digital transformation, denounced today the First Deputy Minister of Communications, Wilfredo Gonzalez.
Speaking to Prensa Latina in the context of the World Summit on the Information Society Forum (WSIS), which is being held in this Swiss city, the head of the island's delegation addressed the consequences of Washington's aggressive policy in a sector in which the Antillean nation is betting on its inclusive development.
The limitations caused by the blockade are many, ranging from communications to access to information, said the high-ranking official, who discussed the impact of the U.S. siege in various areas.
According to Gonzalez, the impossibility for Cuba to access dozens of international platforms for data exchange and participation illustrates the magnitude of the damage caused by a policy applied for more than 60 years.
The First Deputy Minister of Communications also referred to other aspects of the aggressiveness of the United States against his country, in particular the destabilization actions through the use of ICTs and the blocking of sites and accounts on social networks.
During our participation in this 2023 edition of the annual WSIS Follow-up Forum, we shared the island's achievements and progress in digital transformation, despite the challenges we face, especially the economic, commercial and financial blockade, he said.
In that regard, he mentioned the development of telecommunications infrastructure, with Internet access coverage close to 70 percent of the population, the steps taken in terms of e-government and e-commerce and the creation of our own platforms to facilitate procedures, support the economy and improve the daily lives of human beings.
We continue to promote digital transformation, which we do by taking advantage of the scientific and technical capabilities of the human capital created by the Revolution and working in this process under the premise of cybersecurity, he said.