Ambassador: Cuban embargo an act of war

Speaking at a press conference at the Cuban Embassy at Bayshore, Westmoorings, yesterday, Rojas said the blockade had no respecter for age, sex, race, religious belief, or social position.

"It is an essential component of the policy of state terrorism against Cuba," he said.

Rojas said according to International Law, there was no justification for a blockade in times of peace. "It is a fact that the Cuban people have been living a non-declared war for more than 45 years," he added.

The executive decree, which initiated the commencement of the blockade in February 1962, was signed by the late President John F Kennedy.

According to Rojas, more than 70 percent of Cubans were born and have lived under the blockade, which had cost the country direct economic damage of over US$82 billion. This figure, he said, did not include the more than US$54 billion of direct damage occasioned by sabotage and terrorist acts, nor the value of the goods not made, and the damage stemming from the onerous credit conditions imposed on Cuba.

Rojas said the embargo had cost the Cuban health sector more than US$75 million, and the food industry more than US$55 million for the period July 2004 to April 2005. He said this was "an obvious attempt to bring the Cuban people to their knees through starvation."

For 14 years, Cuba has been submitting a draft resolution to the UN General Assembly to have the blockade revoked. Last year, 179 states voted in favour of the draft resolution. However, Rojas said, his country will again submit the draft resolution to be debated at this year’s UN General Assembly, which will be held on November 8 in New York.