This is what Ana Silvia Rodriguez, Cuba’s alternate permanent representative to the United Nations, denounced on Monday via Twitter.
Equipment, medicines, supplies, food and fuel have been sent from other countries in solidarity with the Cuban people in the face of the pandemic, but the U.S. blockade prevents them from reaching Cuba, she said.
In addition, she added, that blockade is the main impediment to purchasing the materials required to deal with the pandemic, as well as providing and receiving international aid.
The ambassador cited as an example what happened to the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which donated medical supplies to combat the Covid-19 and was unable to reach Cuba due to the blockade imposed by the United States.
The use of sanctions as a foreign policy tool is inadmissible during a pandemic, the diplomat stressed and called for prioritizing the spirit of cooperation, multilateralism and solidarity when facing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
In this respect, she recalled the continuous requests of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to increase solidarity and cooperation to face the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the US blockade, Rodriguez stressed, Cuba will continue to give its solidarity support to the world and «we could do much more if this genocidal policy were lifted.»
Cuba offers an example of solidarity with the world by sending medical brigades and medicines to several countries to support the fight against the novel coronavirus, she added.
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