Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Communist Party of India have issued the following joint statement:
USA Must Lift the Inhuman Criminal Blockade of Cuba
A section of the people of Cuba are demonstrating on problems created by the US economic blockade. The Cuban government and the Communist Party of Cuba have reached out to them.
These demonstrations are backed by the US, which is trying to take advantage of severe economic problems that are caused by its own blockade and the pandemic. They are aimed to destabilise socialist Cuba. We condemn the interference of US imperialism in the internal affairs of Cuba.
The economic problems confronting Cuba are a result of the inhuman and criminal blockade imposed by the US for the last 60 years and more. The invocation of Title III of Helms-Burton Act strengthened the blockade and imposed unforeseen hardships. The US further tightened these sanctions during the pandemic by unjustly categorising Cuba as a ‘State sponsoring terrorism’. Trump administration imposed an additional 243 sanctions that continue to remain in force.
As a result, Cuba is denied import of food, raw materials for the production of medicines, vaccines and lifesaving medical equipment, which accentuated the hardships of Cuban people. US is using social media platforms spreading fake news to instigate Cuban people to demonstrate against their government.
In spite of this, the Cuban government has developed its own vaccine candidates, helping the world in fighting the pandemic and trying to overcome all the economic obstacles.
During this period of serious hardships, we express our solidarity with the Cuban government and the people of Cuba. We call upon the people to stand with Cubans and its government in their struggle to defend their motherland, sovereignty and socialism.
(D. Raja) (Sitaram Yechury)
General Secretary, CPI General Secretary, CPI(M)