Port of Spain, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) Guards at the United States Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago impeded Ozzi Warwick, general secretary of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), to deliver a letter of support for Cuba facing Washington’s hostility, local press reported on Friday.
Trinidad and Tobago Guardian informed that Warwick tried unsuccessfully to leave the letter at the security post but intended to send it to the diplomatic headquarters.
The trade union leader said the JTUM and eight other organizations signed the letter. It called for US President Joe Biden to remove Cuba from Washington’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list.
The signers demand to revert all hostile policies adopted during the administration of former President Donald Trump and restore the policies of the administration of former President Barack Obama.
On Thursday of last week, Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Minister Amery Browne also spoke out for supporting Cuba and called for its removal from that list.
Santiago de Cuba, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban eastern province of Granma is hosting the ExpoCaribe 2024 fair, which is being attended by a large representation of state and non-state companies and producers from June 26 to 29.
Prisciliano Guisado, director of Foreign Trade in that territory, told Prensa Latina the second major commercial fair in Cuba is taking place in Granma, with the aim of making a good presentation of eastern Cuba’s potential, where agricultural and manufacturing products and services converge.
He noted the interest of Granma’s entrepreneurs in meeting with their colleagues in the Caribbean region, due to the cultural and historic affinity of their peoples and the values they defend, which make possible an integration that goes beyond mere trade.
Granma’s Foreign Trade director stressed the importance of developing the sea ports and airports in Santiago de Cuba, due to the need to have a robust logistics that will serve as an incentive to business people in the Caribbean and surrounding areas.
ExpoCaribe 2024 is a window for 23 enterprises and more than 120 products from Granma.
Guisado stated that they have exchanged views with representatives from the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Panama, Canada and the United States, which corroborates that the opportunities in ExpoCaribe 2024 transcend the target geographical area, thus broadening the spectrum and expectations.
Madrid, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) Acts of solidarity and denunciation of the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba will be part of a campaign in favor of the women of the Caribbean island, it was known.
The text sent to Prensa Latina by the coordinator of Cubainformación, José Manzaneda, emphasizes the importance of this action, in difficult times for Cuba, due to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade of the United States.
The Democratic Women’s Movement (MDM), in collaboration with the Spanish trade union Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), stressed that the idea is to cooperate in different ways to obtain material donations to support Cuban women.
Cristina Simó, MDM president, pointed out that CCOO has made 82 union headquarters available to collect hygienic elements such as sanitary napkins, menstrual cups, panties, and male and female condoms.
The initiative is also promoted from Havana by the Federation of Cuban Women (FCW), which, like the MDM, is part of the Women’s International Democratic Federation.
“Cuban women dedicate around 35,20 hours a week to domestic work and caring for their families, and are the heads of 46% of the country’s households. The shortage caused by this policy (of the blockade), amplifies their traditional roles,” the MDM head commented.
Havana, Jun 30 (Prensa Latina) The achievements of Cuba’s National Center for Minimal Access Surgery (CNCMA) are grounded in the quality of its human resources, stressed here a leader of the national and international health care center.
The CNCMA obtained the certification of the Quality Management System under ISO 9001:2015 by the National Standardization Office and by the Certification Institute S.L. ICDQ from Spain, and that would not have been possible without its human capital, Deputy Director of Teaching and Research Rosalba Roque told Prensa Latina.
Likewise, she added that this assistance area, devised by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro has been certified since 2017 by the National Accreditation Board, which recognizes the academic program of a specialty.
According to Roque, we have had a clear mission for 30 years, and it is the research, development and generalization of minimally invasive surgery in Cuba, and that has been the driving force behind the development of the center since its foundation. In these three decades, we have over 5,000 graduates in each of the areas, over 1,000 patients operated on, we have developed oncological surgery, and we have received awards and recognitions as well, the specialist detailed.
We cannot fail to recognize that we have a leader, the Director and founder of the National Center for Minimal Access Surgery Julian Francisco Ruiz a man capable of dreaming, but bringing us all together, and that has allowed continuous improvement with the introduction of intervention techniques from the organization and from the management.
Regarding the influence of the U.S. blockade on the fulfillment of the entity’s goals, she replied that despite the limitations, her group has not stopped training human resources and attending patients, but we have not done it alone either, she pointed out.
As acknowledged by the Cuban Deputy Minister of Health Reynold Garcia in the context of the 30th Anniversary Convention of the center, we have made progress because we have the support of our organization, the University of Medical Sciences of Havana and other entities, Roque said.
The specialist believes that in order to defuse the problems, there must be unity among health institutions and their professionals. The blockade has affected us economically, but the mental blockade, the spiritual blockade is fatal, she pointed out.
The National Center for Minimal Access Surgery has achieved important results in these 30 years, but there is still a long way to go, and our group is convinced that we are ready for the future, she concluded.
Hague, Netherlands, Jun 30 (Prensa Latina) Dutch people from different sectors of society condemned on Saturday the U.S. blockade against Cuba and the nation’s inclusion in Washington’s unilateral States Sponsoring Terrorism (SST) list.
On behalf of organizations or as individuals, some thirty delegates attended the 2nd Annual Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba in the Netherlands, an event held on the weekend at the Cuban Embassy, where participants denounced the U.S. hostility toward Cuba.
The economic, commercial and financial U.S. blockade has been imposed for over six decades; thus, it was described as genocidal due to its devastating impact on such sensitive areas, as health and children.
Attendees repudiated the tightening of the blockade lately, particularly its extraterritorial scope and the inclusion in the States Sponsoring Terrorism list without any international support, a policy that seeks to smother Cuba in the financial area.
Cuban Ambassador Anet Pino explained to the supportive Dutch people issues of Cuba’s reality, its socio-economic situation and the challenges derived from the U.S. blockade.
The diplomat further thanked the Netherlands for its support to Cuba and its Revolution.
The meeting reviewed the activities of the last year of accompaniment to the nation, set new actions and agreed on a final statement.
United Nations, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) UN Secretary General António Guterres today appreciated Cuba’s efforts in mediation processes by considering contradictory its permanence on the US list of nations that allegedly sponsor terrorism.
“That is not the kind of behavior one would expect from countries accused of being sponsors of terrorism,” Guterres’ spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, answered to a question from Prensa Latina.
The spokesman praised the Caribbean nation’s work in mediation processes, particularly its efforts for peace in Colombia.
Cuba hosted important negotiations for the Peace Agreements reached in 2016 and the ongoing talks between the National Liberation Army and the government of Gustavo Petro.
Its continuity on that US State Department list is considered unfair by governments and groups even within the United States.
In a recent joint statement, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 and China demanded its removal from such list, which serves as a pretext to impose additional unilateral coercive measures against the island.
Both multinational groupings called for compliance with the 31 resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the need to put an end to the blockade against Cuba and rejected the impact of that policy on Cubans.
At the end of May, the State Department confirmed it had removed Cuba from the list of countries which, according to Washington, do not fully cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
However, both the international community and the Cuban government consider the provision insufficient, which is not equivalent to the elimination of the list of countries sponsoring terrorism, which implies greater limitations for the economic and commercial exchange.
“The United States should do what is right and consistent with that position: remove Cuba from the State Department’s arbitrary list and put an end to the coercive economic measures that accompany it,” President Miguel Díaz-Canel reacted to the announcement.
Cuba was first included on the State Department’s list of sponsors of terrorism during the administration of President Ronald Reagan in 1982.
In 2015, then President Barack Obama considered that designation to be without merit in the case of the island and removed it.
Four years later, Donald Trump reinstated it a few days before leaving the White House, something that his Democratic successor, Joe Biden, has kept.
Havana, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) The president of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, on Friday underscored Cuba’s commitment and contribution to multilateralism, during official talks with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
The diplomat pointed out that Cuba’s representatives at international forums have always sought to bring balance, perspective and justice to the debates.
“Cuba’s voice is the voice of reason,” noted the diplomat, who also congratulated the Cuban Government for its work as leader of the G77+China group, which is made up of 134 countries.
Francis pointed out that Cuba did an excellent job in representing the interests of the largest group of countries at the United Nations.
The UNGA president expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and reiterated that his presence in Cuba is an opportunity to discuss the complicated problems and issues that humanity is facing.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in turn, stressed that the UNGA is the most democratic body of the system of universal and equitable participation, based on the sovereign equality of States, where all are represented on an equal footing.
He noted that although the UNGA has no enforcement, coercive or military means, the political and ethical message of its deliberations has a real influence on the world and a power that should not be underestimated.
“We southern countries know that this is the place where we are best heard and where, when we act united and together, we can make the legitimate interests of humanity and of the peoples prevail,” the head of Cuban diplomacy noted.
Rodriguez also highlighted Francis’s work and agenda as UNGA prsident.
On Friday, Francis will give a master lecture at the Aula Magna of the University of Havana on “Cuba and Multilateralism: Opportunities and Challenges,” with the participation of government officials, diplomats, young people, women leaders and scholars.
Dennis Francis, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, assumed the Presidency of the 78th UN General Assembly in September 2023.
Havana, June 27 (Prensa Latina) Cuba and Vietnam advocated strengthening their parliamentary relations in a virtual exchange between legislative leaders of both countries, the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP) reported today.
The meeting, described as fruitful and fraternal, was led by the secretary of the ANPP, Homero Acosta, and Bui Van Cuong, secretary general and president of the Office of the National Assembly of the Asian country.
According to the source, in the contact Acosta expressed his satisfaction at holding this work meeting, which is part of the actions provided for in the Cooperation Protocol signed by both national assemblies.
Likewise, the secretary of the supreme organ of power of the Cuban State highlighted the close ties that unite this Caribbean nation and Vietnam, forged by the revolutionary leaders Fidel Castro and Ho Chi Minh, deepened the current Cuban situation, and thanked the permanent solidarity of Vietnam.
For his part, Bui Van Cuong recalled the cordial meetings held with his Cuban counterpart in Hanoi in November 2022 and in Havana in April 2023.
The Party, the State and the people of Vietnam always remember Fidel’s immortal phrase “For Vietnam we are willing to give even our own blood” -he said- and expressed the will to deepen the special traditional relationship of solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.
The parties agreed to increase interparliamentary cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including digital transformation, social communication, and science and innovation.
The ambassadors of both nations, and directors and officials of the two legislative bodies participated in the virtual meeting.
Havana, Jun 27 (Prensa Latina) During the third round of political consultations, Cuba and Cambodia highlighted their historic relations of friendship and cooperation, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
At the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Anayansi Rodriguez and the secretary of State for the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry of Cambodia, Chum Sounry, praised the existing fluid high-level political talks.
They also agreed on the will to continue to consolidate bilateral cooperation, ratified by President Miguel Díaz-Canel and Prime Minister Hun Manet in September 2023.
The parties welcomed the boost to collaboration in the fields of agri-food, health, sport, education and culture, as a result of the consensus reached during the visit to Cuba of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and the visit to Cambodia of Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, which took place in 2022.
The source added that the Cuban deputy minister expressed her gratitude for the Philippines’ traditional stance against the blockade imposed by the US government on the Caribbean island, and for the inclusion of Cuba on the unilateral State
Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT).
Chum Sounry, in turn, highlighted the excellent ties between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Cuba, the first in this geographic area to join the regional Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in November 2020.
Tegucigalpa, June 27 (Prensa Latina) Cuba insisted today on the importance of strengthening the unity of the people of the region and the leftist and progressive forces, during the II social forum of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
The head of the Department of International Relations of the Communist Party of Cuba, Emilio Lozada, stressed at the event that “the only thing that defeats imperialism is unity” and urged support for leftist processes internally and externally.
“We do not conceive that countries with progressive governments attack other countries with progressive governments, that is also the way to help imperialism, carry out a campaign of domination against our own people,” he warned.
Lozada called for the coordination of all progressive forces and leftist organizations in the world and recalled the fundamental role that unity played in defeating coups d’état in the region.
He pointed out that within a month an important battle will be fought on the continent, with the Venezuelan presidential elections.
“All together we are going to support President Nicolás Maduro in his certain victory, we are going to prevent the right-wing forces from trying to delegitimize his victory,” he assured.
The leader also reiterated the support of the Caribbean nation for the leftist processes taking place in Honduras and Mexico.
Lozada affirmed that his country will continue fighting despite its unjust inclusion on the list of states supposedly sponsoring terrorism.
