The Cuban government is once again calling on the international community to support its call for the lifting of the trade embargo imposed by the United States.
At a press conference, to garner local support, Cuban ambassador to Dominica Joanna Elena Ramos on Wednesday described the embargo “as an act of genocide.”
“The increased persecution of Cuba’s international financial transactions has been one of the distinctive features in the implementation of the blockade policy under the current US administration,” she argued.
For the 21st consecutive time Cuba on November 13th, 2012 will submit for the consideration of the UN General Assembly the draft resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”.
Since its conception the resolution has been steadily gaining support from nations around the globe. Last year 186 member states voted in favor of the resolution, which according to Cuba is irrefutable proof that the battle for the lifting of the blockade has the recognition and support of the vast majority of the international community.
But calls for lifting the embargo have fallen on deaf ears. In 2012 the US imposed a $619-million fine on the Dutch bank ING for making transactions with Cuba, in dollars.
Actions like these due to the embargo are described by the Cuban ambassador as criminal and inhumane. “The blockade continues to be a criminal, inhumane and morally unsustainable policy that has not succeeded and will never succeed in fulfilling the purpose of breaking the political will of the Cuban people to preserve its sovereignty, independence and right to self-determination,” she stated.
She said the embargo is having a devastating impact on Cuba. “The direct economic damage to the Cuban people by the implementation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba until December 2011 based on the current prices and calculated in a very conservative way, amount to over 108 billion dollars (108,000,000,000),” she said. “Taking into consideration the depreciation of the US dollar against the price of gold in the international financial market, the damages cost to the Cuban economy would exceed one trillion 66 thousand million dollars ($1,066,000,000,000).”
She also thanked the Dominican government for its continued support on the matter.
This saved my debate life i have been looking for this the moment i heard the resolution this year this will help alot
Some of us have been to Cuba and have seen that the Cuban people truly have democracy. The US economic blockade is illegal and immoral. It should be lifted and let them decide for themselves without US interference and domination. Viva Cuba!
Viva Fidel; Viva Raul, Viva Cuba! End the asinine embargo.
DNO- I hope this does not surpass your threshold for comments that are too long.
I think that the US embargo against Cuba should be lifted. The embargo has been a failure. It has and continues to serve no purpose. It is an outdated and counter-productive way of condoning international bullying. It is morally and perhaps s legally wrong and an extra-territorial application of US law, which is inconsistent with international legal norms. It is a form of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of another sovereign state to the extent that because of such intervention, US authorities could prevent the hosting of the CARICOM-Cuba Summit at the Hilton Hotel in Trinidad.
The embargo is inhumane and it is an injustice to the Cuban people. It negatively impacts normal relations between independent sovereign states in the Caribbean. The majority of UN Members States has condemned the embargo and a majority of US citizens wants it lifted. It has been in place for over a generation and if has proven to be ineffective.
From a strict business perspective, the Caribbean stands to gain much more from open trade with Cuba rather than going along with the failed overzealous US foreign policy. We have and continue to benefit from the proud achievements of Cuba in terms of its education and medicine. The Caribbean and the American business communities have long recognized that opening up of the Cuban market would be more beneficial to all.
Dominica and CARICOM has benefitted a lot from Cuba and we all stand to benefit much more by supporting the lifting of the embargo on Cuba. Therefore, we must consistently condemned Cuba’s isolation and call for lifting of the embargo on our sister Caribbean country.
Now, I hear those who “say set the people free then we can talk”, “Put an end to communism first then” and “improve human rights record” etc. However, none of that is a sound reason for continuing this embargo, even if it were back in 1962. The world has evolved and a lot has changed since Apollo II landed on the moon. The embargo has absolutely no place in this modern international climate marked by globalization, integration, liberalization and cooperation on a range a global issues.
The Cold War is over and so too should be this US policy, which no longer makes political, economic, legal or social sense. To link the embargo to human rights is a show of double standard and just hypocritical unless the US is prepared to take the same stance against China, Saudi Arabia, Russia.
I expect many will disagree with my position so I look forward to read your opposing views, especially as you can not give my contribution a thumps down.
Respectfully
Roseau Valley
Stupes who want to hear about Cuba
Sometimes I read DNO readers comments and wonder what Tim and his team is doing to allow some on it to filtrate on here. Some of US need to educate ourselves about the dynamics of Cuba’s Politics before commenting. @S..do you know why Cuba expelled the US citizens during the revolution? Find out the real true reason first then come back with an updated posting! Before you ask, Cuba was heading into the country for the US Place of Brothel, gambling and more before the Revolution,in today’s 21st Century if Castro had not done what he did, Cuba would have been the Whore city for rich Americans, the gambling state of the Caribbean, and the elite would have loved it, child ring prostitution would have been rife, and so much more. It does not mean to say, some of this is not happening under the table, of course it is, but it is controlled and less which when caught the punishment is unbearable. Yes! BTW, Cuba is not Communists, we define it as that, but in actual fact, it is not….
ADMIN: Last time we checked Dominica was a democracy and everyone has a right to their opinion just like you do.
China is communist but the USA trades with them
Saudi Arabia a repressive and oppressive country where women are second class citizens and a number of other oppressive governments in the iddle east are all supported and trade with the US.
Even Venezuela with all the rhetoric, and the US trade.
So what’s wrong with trading eith Cuba.
A luta continua. Long live Cuba.
It has to do with economic power. The US needs China and Saudi Arabia. They do not need Cuba. Besides they are still licking their wounds from the revolution when they lost their interests there. I do not agree with sn embryo but the ambassador must stop the hypocracy. The Cuban people are imprisoned by their regime. Clean your backyard first
China abandoned communist principles a long time ago. In the 1970’s. They have become a capitalist country in their mode of production. Cuba has had the courage to fight for its revolution.
Viva Fidel!
Viva El Che!
Viva Cuba Libre
Patria o Muerte. Venceremos
I agree it is time to lift the embargo. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Venceremos
EMBARGO is not a BLOCKADE ;
there is no blockade of Cuba.
Furthermore :
I remind the readers that Cuba is free to buy whatever they want from any other country, including US goods through its communist ally in the region ( the Venezuelan dictatorship )
Free speeches, free opposition, free elections , after 50 years of dictatorship !!! )in Cuba …and the US will end the embargo.
That’s the gospel truth.
The USA has no right to tell any country how to run its internal affairs. How could Cuba and Venezuela be considered dictatorships? Nonsense. Elections are held in both nations!
gnoramus USA as a MAJOR CONTINENT WITH MILLIONS OF CITIZENS has a right to take any action is deems necessary to secure it’s periphery. so russia should just come and put nuclear missle silos in the belly of the U.S which is where cuba is located and the U.S should remain neutral….oooooooooooohhhhhhpllleaseeeee. where ever there is the evidence of CLEAR AND PRESENT danger the people must seek to preserve there own.
this hypocritical nonsense and propaganda trying to make cuba look like some victim is, IMHO, out of context and perspective. if there were tensions between dominica and some neighbouring country, wouldn’t it be prudent for our government to be concerned that they might be arming themselves or proliferating arms??? come on man, this is a big fat joke.
CUBA SHOULD NOT HAVE BITTEN MORE THAN IT CAN CHEW.
if they knew they couldn’t do the time, they should not have done the crime.
but then that’s just my opinion.
skerrit was to young to know the problems america went through with cuba in the sixties, donkey have no right in horse race.. cuba expelled all americans business and us citizens and gave their peoperties to the people without reprimand, catro wanted russia to erect nuclear bombs in cuba pointed at america, this communist castro live like a god while his people suffer. i guess america has their reasons that is why its the 10 th of october yet there are no tourist boats…
skerrit revisit your foreign policy cause they are squeezing us already
The season starts on October 17, 2012
Donkey have no right in horse race for real. Let little Dominica keep pushing its nose in America and Cuba business still. One thing those Americans know how to bring down a small country like Dominica without even touching it. All they have to do is target our little economy. I wish those same people talking about embargo would encourage the Cuban government to free up their people. I have Cuban friends here in the States who refuse to go back to Cuba.
S and D, the first and last letters in STUPID!!! That’s exactly what the two comments above are. I will say no more.
DONKEY DARBY FINISH SOOO LONG, since they bring horse all donkey park theirself.
where are the bright commentators where are the voice of the opposition ..have not cuba done for us far more than uncle sam ever did ..stand up with oneness against the oppressor! my people!!!!
The Cuban forces defeated America in the ‘Bay of Pigs.’
I wish Cuba would join with Russia, Iran, Egypt the talibans, the Al Qaedas, Hizbollah’s would join a coalition force and wage a major war with America to bankrupt it and bring it to its knees!
America will be defeated, her time is nigh!
and when things get tight you running there to survive
lol true face hello when amereca falls we all gonna suffer….when allu bawl and say things hard ….set off stupid ppl
not sure you know what the word war means
And what good would it do Dominica if America’s economy crashes? Things will get worse not better. You should be hoping for a strong US economy
Well said.
@really? when Rome fell in 410 AD everyone thought it was the end of the world….true Europe went through the so-called ‘dark ages’ after the fall of Rome but civilization bounced back.
America is NOT the world nor the world is America. If America falls the world will go on….you too stupid.
Dorival tell them, these goons worship America.
The reality is America will fall like other civilizations and her time is nigh.
When Rome fell the economic structure of the world was not linked. What happens to all the Dominicans in US if it falls? They return home and burden the system and get involved in crime. What happens when there is no US army? Hezbullah and the Taliban reign and cause havoc. And maybe Iran can build their nuclear weapons and destroy us all. Think big and to not wish anyone ill.
guys you have to pay in euros:))
Cuba is no threat the middle east is yey the us gives them aid,cuba is a quiet nation and located right in the US BACKYARD COME ON FREE THE EMBARGO.
we will lift it when you declare you are a democratic state and not trample on the rights of man… lets be free
Hve the Cubans considered allowing their people greater freedom to express themselves without fear of harrassment from the government? Perhaps they will have more credibility if they took that small first step.
That photo isn’t funny DNO… how can u depict the u.s.a as an evil empire…. clearly uncle sam’s red eyes look rather demonic…. are you all anti-USA
viva Cuba!
viva Cuba!
viva cuba!
¡Viva cuba libre!
I am in support of the lift. America should but will not lift nada porque if they do they would lose out on a lot.