Under the Draft Resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba,” Marchante said the illegal, genocidal and extraterritorial policy will never prevent the Cuban people from defending their sovereignty and their right to freely choose their future.
The Cuban envoy said the blockade of the United States against Cuba was imposed unilaterally 55 years ago. More than 70 percent of the Cuban population has been born and raised under the application of this policy, which hinder the economic development of Cuba and constitutes a flagrant violation of the human rights of the Cuban people.
He said this has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for the country. In other words, the cost of the annual blockade represents for Cuba about double what is necessary for the total development of its economy.
“This has led many banking institutions to close Cuban accounts and adopt measures that hinder and complicate the normal functioning of the banking system on the Island,” he explained.
In Cuba's report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the implementation of resolution A / RES / 71/5 on the blockade, numerous examples of damages caused to the Cuban people are described in the period between April 2016 and June 2017
He said during the years 2015 and 2016, the international community was optimistic about the progress between Cuba-United States relations, as well as about President Barack Obama's assertion that the blockade was a failed policy that harmed the Cuban people and should be lifted.
“The advances made during that period demonstrated that Cuba and the United States can live together in a civilized way, respecting their differences and cooperating for the benefit of both countries and peoples,” the ambassador said.
However, on June 16th this year, US President, Donald Trump, proclaimed the blockade as a cornerstone of his policy and announced a series of measures aimed at intensifying it.
“This decision not only reverses the limited progress achieved in the last two years, but also means a setback in the relations, characterized by aggression and the strengthening of unilateral sanctions,” he underscored.
It is worth reiterating, he said that the blockade qualifies as an act of genocide, under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948, and as an act of economic warfare, in accordance with the Declaration on the Law of Maritime War, adopted by the London Naval Conference of 1909.
However, the diplomat said Cuba and the United States are not at war. Military aggressions against the United States have never been organized or carried out from Cuban territory, nor have violent acts against the American people been promoted.
“Cuba reaffirms its willingness to continue a respectful dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest and to negotiate pending bilateral issues with the United States on the basis of equality, reciprocity, respect for Cuba's sovereignty and independence,” he said. “Cuba will not make concessions of any kind nor renounce one of its principles.”
Further, Marchante said the United States must, unilaterally and unconditionally, end the unjust blockade that has brought suffering to the Cuban people for almost 60 years. It is the most unjust, severe and prolonged system of unilateral sanctions that has been ever applied against any country.
In this context, he noted that the international community's traditional demand for an end to the blockade is of particular importance. Last year, 191 members of the United Nations demanded an end to this unjust policy.
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