US Blockade of Cuba, a Flagrant Human Rights Violation

The over-50-year US economic, financial and commercial blockade of Cuba is a flagrant and systematic violation of human rights, Cuban ambassador to France Orlando Requejo denounced as he presented, in Paris, the island’s report that will soon be debated at the United Nations.

Requejo said that the economic damage inflicted on his country up to December 2011 has reached to one trillion 66 billion dollars considering the devaluation of the US dollar in front of gold prices at the world market.

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The blockade’s effects are tangible said the diplomat as he referred to the US prohibition on Cuba to purchase important pharmaceuticals produced by American labs, and which are needed to treat Cuban children suffering from heart or oncologic conditions.

Requejo along with Cuban ambassador to UNESCO, Maria de los Angeles Flores explained about the severe effects of US unilateral policy as they addressed a conference attended by members of the diplomatic corps, political parties, social organizations, journalists, intellectuals and Cubans residing in France.

The Obama administration has reinforced the extraterritorial nature of the US blockade and the harassment of Cuban financial transactions with third countries, they said and pointed to a 619-million-dollar fine given to the ING Dutch bank for its operations with Cuba.