Who can believe that the US policy is to help Cuba?
With concrete examples, the member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, demonstrated before the UN General Assembly the cruel effects of the US blockade
Photo: Cubaminrex
“For five days, from Friday 18 to Wednesday 23 October, Cuban families were deprived, except for a few hours, of electricity, with the anxiety that food would spoil and it would not be possible or very costly to replace it, and many of them lacked running water.” This is how Cuba’s Political Bureau member and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla began his speech before the UN General Assembly, referring to those recent moments when the country’s electro-energy crisis reached a peak, following the disconnection of the National Electric System (SEN).
“Hospitals operated under emergency conditions and schools and universities suspended classes. Entities interrupted their activities and only the vital ones were maintained. The economy came to a halt,” he told the plenary.
In addition, during the blackout, Hurricane Oscar hit the eastern part of the country on October 20 and, despite the efforts of the Cuban Civil Defense, eight people died, including a five-year-old girl, while two are still missing. Satellite photos showed the country to be in darkness and, in addition, subjected to heavy rains and winds.
The diplomat emphasized that, in spite of such conditions, the serenity, understanding and support of the people, who, together with 52,000 workers in the electricity sector, worked with the different organizations to restore stability to the country, was impressive.
“The primary cause of the failure of the National Electric System was the lack of fuel, which affected generation and caused instability associated with the precarious state of our plants, both direct consequences of the extreme measures of economic warfare applied by the US Government since 2019, specifically designed to prevent supplies of fuel, and of parts and pieces for technical maintenance to our plants and electrical facilities, as well as to hinder investment and access to financing,” denounced the Chancellor.
Electricity generation in our nation is highly dependent on imported fuels, and in just one year, the previous U.S. government sanctioned 53 ships and 27 companies associated with shipments to Cuba, he said.
Diana Mondino voted in favor of ending the US embargo against the island nation
Argentine President Javier Milei has fired Foreign Affairs Minister Diana Mondino after she supported a resolution to lift the US embargo on Cuba at the UN General Assembly.
The move was announced by Milei’s office in a press statement. While the statement did not directly link Mondino’s dismissal with the UN vote, it was released shortly after it and included a lengthy description of the administration’s position on Cuba.
“Argentina is going through a period of profound changes… our diplomatic corps should reflect in each decision the values of freedom, sovereignty and individual rights that characterize Western democracies,” the statement read, adding that the country “is categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship” and “will remain firm in promoting a foreign policy that condemns” regimes such as this. Milei’s office also warned that it will conduct an audit of the Foreign Ministry’s staff in order to root out “promoters of agendas hostile to freedom.”
Mondino was one of Milei’s first confirmed cabinet members and his top ally during last year’s presidential campaign. She will be replaced with Gerardo Werthein, who had been the ambassador to the US.
Earlier on Wednesday, the UN once again called on Washington to end its decades-long sanctions regime on Cuba in a non-binding resolution. An overwhelming majority of 187 countries voted in favor of the move, while only the US and Israel voted against it, with Moldova abstaining.
Milei has repeatedly pledged to align his country’s policies with those of the US since taking office in December 2023. He has also distanced the country from Cuba, as well as Nicaragua and Venezuela, accusing their leaders of being “despicable dictators.” Under Milei, Argentina has formally rejected an invitation to become a member of the BRICS group of nations, in a U-turn from the policy of his predecessor, Alberto Fernandez.
Argentina, Latin America’s third largest economy, is in the grip of a severe economic crisis after decades of mounting debt and financial mismanagement. An estimated 55% of the country’s population lives below the poverty line, while inflation is among the highest in the world.
The ‘shock therapy’ reforms announced by Milei when he took office and aimed at stabilizing the economy have so far been unsuccessful, as Argentina’s economy sank deeper into recession in the second quarter of this year, with GDP plunging by 1.7%, according to government data.
The world with Cuba: 187 voices for the end of the blockade
From March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, the U.S. blockade caused material damages to Cuba for a value of more than 5 billion dollars
We can no longer ignore what the world thinks. Photo: Taken from Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla’s X account.
Once again, the majority of the member countries of the United Nations voted in favor of the Resolution that demands the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.
The international community pronounced itself with 187 votes in favor, two against (United States and Israel) and one abstention (Moldova), a demand consistent with the principles established in the Charter of the United Nations, and which for more than 30 years has had a place in the General Assembly, although nothing has changed in the policy implemented by the White House.
The consensus of the messages sent by the representatives of the nations in New York on Wednesday pointed to the blockade as one of the limitations for Cuba to make full progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in the economic momentum and trade relations on a global scale, and in international policies.
In a public response, Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, permanent representative of the largest of the Antilles to the United Nations, said that if the U.S. government respected the Charter and international law, it would comply with the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, demanding that the flagrant violation against Cuba cease.
From March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, the U.S. blockade caused material damages to Cuba amounting to more than 5 billion dollars, which means an increase of 189.8 million dollars with respect to the figure reported in the previous report.
If we take into account the behavior of the dollar against the value of gold in the international market, the Cuban Foreign Minister detailed that the accumulated damages during more than six decades of application of this policy caused damages for more than one trillion 499.71 billion dollars.
Cuba and Bolivia are among the 13 new members of the economic bloc
Photo: Taken from brics-russia2024.ru
“The BRICS have emerged as a fundamental actor of growing relevance, authority and leadership in the global geopolitical scenario and a real hope for the countries of the South in their complex path towards the achievement of a more just, democratic, equitable and sustainable international order.”
This was stated by the member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, while speaking at the recently concluded 16th Summit of that alternative bloc, in the Russian city of Kazan.
He emphasized the Group’s contribution to the change in the financial architecture, with a New Development Bank that makes these resources available under more favorable conditions. He also highlighted the role in the reduction of monetary imbalances and the counterweight to the U.S. dollar, used as an instrument of pressure.
Rodríguez Parrilla pointed out the coincidence between Cuba’s points and the Final Declaration: “We are pleased to see that the BRICS have among their priorities the confrontation of the current world food and energy crisis, with very positive experiences, the results of which have been validated in many of its member states.”
Likewise, he pointed out the advantages of the Island’s geographic position to facilitate the access of the nations of the bloc to important markets in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as to establish strategic partnerships.
He recalled the insertion of the largest of the Antilles in initiatives promoted by members of the Group, such as the Belt and Road and Global Development, proposed by China; while in the Eurasian Economic Union it plays the role of Observer.
The Foreign Minister reiterated the deep concern and condemnation of the genocide in Palestine and the escalation in the Middle East, consequences of the aggressiveness and impunity of the State of Israel, with the support of the United States.
He also repeated his support for the joint initiative of China and Brazil towards a constructive and peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed opposition to unilateral coercive measures against Russia, and to the supply of arms and funds to fuel the war.
Expressed support for Sandinista Nicaragua against interference in its internal affairs and solidarity with the campaigns and measures directed against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the leadership of the constitutional president Nicolás Maduro Moros.
The Final Declaration, approved unanimously, contains 134 goals for 2025, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin at Wednesday’s plenary meeting. The document summarizes the results of the Russian Presidency of the BRICS and the priorities for the future.
With regard to the content of the text, the host president underscored the comprehensive analysis of the problems of the world and the benchmarks defined for long-term interaction. He also stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among its members, based on common interests.
He considered it a key element to expand partnership with developing countries, as it will contribute to strengthening global cooperation. To increase their contribution to the world economy, they called for a reform of the Bretton Woods institutions. Indeed, such decisions can lay the foundations for a multilateral order with greater justice and democratic openness.
The agreement to study the possibility of an independent cross-border payment and deposit system, called BRICS Clear, is of great significance, as it would complement the Group’s existing financial infrastructure.
Putin detailed that the new system would be based on an exchange of information developed between central banks. “This is an analog of swif,” he explained. If this idea is translated into concrete terms, it would be lapidary for the interests of the United States and the dollar.
On the other hand, they valued the construction of a single transportation platform, to guarantee multimodal logistics between them.
NEW PARTNERS
One of the key milestones of the Summit was the entry of 13 new nations, two of them located in Latin America: Cuba and Bolivia.
“The incorporation of these new partner countries is perceived as a sign that the BRICS seek to strengthen multilateral cooperation to expand their influence in the international arena,” assured in its X account, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP).
In Telegram, hours before the transcendental announcement, the executive secretary of the regional organization, Jorge Arreaza, said that these decisions will contribute to the articulation of the “new and necessary multipolar world.”
Regarding the entry of ALBA members, he considered it a significant contribution for both parties, a win-win link. He highlighted the similarity of values between both blocs, such as respect for sovereignty, collaboration and economic complementarity.
Arreaza mentioned potentialities of the Latin American organization: Petrocaribe in the energy sector; the ALBA Bank, an instrument of solidarity development; in addition to fair trade mechanisms and joint productive processes, as opposed to capitalist transnationals and neoliberal schemes.
He also highlighted how, through the new stage of Agroalba, they will share experiences in food processing with the Global South. He also praised counter-hegemonic media, including Telesur, and the promotion of multiculturalism.
“The ALBA is also a moral force of resistance and liberation, which has demonstrated an infinite capacity to unite for life with human, ethical and anti-imperialist criteria, a few miles away from the U.S. empire itself,” he concluded.
According to the BRICS News account on X, the list of nations added as partners is completed by Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
