radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Movement for Social Justice leader and veteran trade unionist David Abdulah has added his voice to calls to the United States from regional leaders to end the economic blockade against Cuba.
Speaking yesterday, Abdulah said only two countries of the world were in favour of the blockade - the United States and Israel.
“On June 23, the United Nations General Assembly voted for the 29th consecutive year that the US should end the blockade. Only two countries – the United States and, not surprisingly, Israel, voted for the blockade to remain in force. One hundred and eighty-four countries supported Cuba’s resolution that called for the US to end the blockade.
“Votes have been very similar in the previous years at the UN. The US stands in isolation in the face of this overwhelming world opinion against it,” Abdulah said.
Issuing a message to US president Joe Biden, Abdulah said, “Mr Biden – end the blockade against Cuba now! Take your knee off the neck of the Cuban people! They cannot breathe because of the blockade!
“People are hungry and without medicines in this time of a pandemic because Cuba can’t access goods with the blockade in effect. Mr Biden, you are on the wrong side of history. You claim to be about humanity, yet your actions are in defiance and not in defence of humanity.”
He added, “You need to demonstrate leadership, Mr Biden, and do what is in your power to do – reverse all the Executive Orders, including the one that unilaterally and without a shred of evidence listed Cuba as a country that is involved in state-sponsored terrorism. That is our minimum demand. You should, of course, collaborate with your Democratic colleagues in Congress to end the blockade once and for all by repealing the odious and illegitimate and illegal Helms-Burton Act and the other laws that have resulted in the blockading of Cuba.”
Abdulah said the MSJ stands in solidarity with Cuba.
“In the face of all the difficulties that Cuba is experiencing, it is able to demonstrate its humanity in ways that other, rich countries are not. Cuba is assisting many countries with medical professionals to support health care and the treatment of COVID patients. Other countries are hoarding vaccines. Cuba has been able to develop several vaccines and has committed to making vaccines available to countries that have little or no access,” he said.
He noted that Cuba is also managing the COVID-19 pandemic better than most.
“To date, just over 1,800 people have died from COVID in a country with a population of over 11 million,” Abdulah said.