The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has condemned the continuation of the embargo against Cuba and has made a fresh call for its immediate cessation.
This position was made clear during the opening of the Seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community and Cuba yesterday.
CARICOM Chairman Dr Ralph Gonsalves highlighted the unjust and unilateral imposition of the financial, commercial and economic embargo on Cuba which he said is a prime example of the violation of principles outlined in the United Nations Charter.
Gonsalves said the concept of universality has been diminished in a number of major international institutions and bodies.
He noted that even international public servants who are carrying out their legitimate responsibilities have been unjustly and unilaterally sanctioned.
“All these actions, and more, by some dominant countries have undoubtedly been corrosive of multilateralism, which is the foundation-stone of an orderly global architecture of relations between sovereign states.
It is our hope that this disruptive approach would soon undergo a profound transformation.
CARICOM has to engage the Biden-Harris administration in the USA on this matter after January 20, 2021,” said the CARICOM Chairman.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Belize John Briceno, who also addressed the CARICOM-Cuba Summit, said at the multilateral level, CARICOM stands firmly with Cuba in demanding an end to the illegal financial and economic embargo against the country.
Briceno said Belize supports this regional position without reservation.
He added that Cuba’s contribution to Caribbean development is significant and transformative, with Caribbean people and Belizeans having deep respect for Cuba.
