Published on October 19, 2005

Cuba’s ambassador to Thailand yesterday urged the government to persevere in its support of a UN resolution aimed at ending the decades-long US-sponsored blockade of the communist island nation.

“The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America on Cuba during the past 43 years has been the longest and cruellest in the history of humanity,” Ambassador Maria Luisa Fernandez said.

Fernandez’s plea came after Spain, Portugal, Andorra and several Latin American states called on the US during the 15th Ibero-American summit last week to end its blockade of Cuba.

The economically crippling blockade, imposed on Cuba since 1962, has prohibited the Caribbean nation from trading with the US and its allies, using US dollars in international commercial transactions or gaining access to various international financial sources.

Speaking in Bangkok, Fernandez said that owing to the blockade, tourism has become the main source of income for Cuba with 2 million travellers visiting the country last year.

On November 8, for the 14th consecutive year, Cuba will submit the draft resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba,” to the UN Assembly.

More countries now support the resolution. Last year, 179 countries, including Thailand, voted in favour of it. But Washington, under pressure from powerful Cuban exile lobby groups, refused to rescind the blockade. Cuba opened its embassy in Bangkok only last year.

Sopaporn Saeung

The Nation

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