Banjul, October 22, 2016- Members of the Gambia-Cuba Friendship Association and the José Marti Association of Graduands of The Gambia in Cuba, taking part in a meeting at the Cuban embassy in Banjul denounced the persistence and the negative effects of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against the island, despite the huge international repudiation towards this policy and the recognition of the American President that it is a failed policy and therefore , must be lifted.
Members of the Cuban Medical Brigade providing health services in the African country were also present in the meeting.
Different Gambian friends took the stage to denounce the criminal policy maintained by several North American administrations for over five decades and called for its immediate end.
Both the President of the Gambia-Cuba Friendship Association, Mr. Modou P. Grant and the President of the Jose Martí Association of Gambian Graduands in Cuba, Amadou Beyai, recognized the exemplary solidarity support provided by the Caribbean island, despite its economic difficulties and reaffirmed the commitment of to continue supporting actively their Cuban brothers in this important battle till its end . Also, they compared Cuban solidarity with the pressure and double standard policy of the US Government in prejudice of others peoples of the world.
In his remarks, the Cuban Ambassador to The Gambia, Lázaro Herrera, referred to President Obama´s most recent measures supposedly to ease some aspects of the sanctions against Cuba, measures which ambassador described as significant and in the right track, but insufficient, biased and politically motivated. At the same time, the diplomat listed many of the actions which, on the other hand, President Obama could adopt based on his executive powers, if he really were motivated by truly positive purposes towards the Cuban people.
Herrera emphasized that as long as the blockade persist, the Cuban people would continue strongly denouncing this policy in national and international forums convinced that it will always count on international solidarity, including the unshakable solidarity from the faithful friends in The Gambia.