Cuban delegation in Istanbul recounts their struggle against the US: 'The longest genocide in history'

The symposium titled 'The Longest Genocide in History: The Blockade on Cuba,' held today, addressed the devastating effects of the blockade imposed by the US on Cuba. The delegation, which came to Istanbul at the invitation of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), shared the social, economic, and political consequences of the blockade on the Cuban people.

The delegation emphasized that Cuba has been under a US blockade since the 1959 revolution, and that the goal of this blockade is to provoke the Cuban people and lead to uprisings.

The delegation was led by Luis Morlote Rivas, a deputy of the Communist Party of Cuba. Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Rosabel Gamón Verde and Ayuban Gutiérrez Quintanilla, a faculty member at the University of Havana's Faculty of Economics, were also among the members of the delegation.

Cuba's Ambassador to Ankara, Alejandro F. Diaz Palacios, was also among those who attended the symposium.

Deputy Minister of Justice Rosabel Gamón Verde

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF THE US EMBARGO ON CUBA?

The devastating effects of the economic embargo were particularly prominent at the symposium: it was stated that there are difficulties in accessing basic food and medicine, foreign trade is obstructed, and billions of dollars are lost every year due to the embargo.

Cuban Deputy Minister of Justice Rosabel Gamón Verde explained that the new constitution approved in 2019 is based on the understanding of a socialist state of law and is centered on public participation. She stated that Cuba 'maintains its determination to protect the socialist revolution that prioritizes the welfare of the people' even under blockade conditions.

Verde underlined that the greatest responsibility they face is 'to build a socialist state of law, ensure social justice, and defend the gains of the revolution.'

Ayuban Gutiérrez Quintanilla

'THEY WANT TO PROVOKE THE PEOPLE'

Other speakers, who spoke about the achievements in the fields of youth and education, argued that their country is in a strong position in terms of skilled human resources. However, the view that the ongoing blockade isolates Cuba from the world was also shared by the speakers.

Summarizing the goal of the blockade as 'to provoke the Cuban people and pave the way for an uprising,' Quintanilla stated the following:

'Being an archipelago makes it easier for us to be blockaded. We are an easy target for cutting off trade with the world. Our economy is small, we cannot survive only with our own resources, we are always dependent on foreign trade.'

Stating that for these reasons, the model of building socialism in Cuba is different from that of the Soviet Union, the economist summarized the current situation regarding the blockade as follows:

'Many food items such as milk provided to children up to 7 years old in Cuba, as well as sugar, rice, and chicken, are provided with state support. Foreign currency is required to purchase these. Due to the blockade, we have a loss of over 4 billion dollars in 2022 alone. Our foreign currency income is half of this amount. One of the most fundamental issues for Cuba is access to foreign currency.'

TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan gave a speech at the symposium, praising Cuba's 'resistance shown in the revolutionary struggle' and emphasizing 'solidarity.'

News Source: 12punto