Spanish MEP, Marina Albiol, comments: “The United States has once again shown that it is alone in its criminal foreign policy against Cuba. The blockade imposed against Cuba – which is not only a flagrant violation of the human rights of an entire people, but is also the greatest obstacle to the wellbeing of the Cubans – has been rejected by the rest of the international community.”

“The abstention of the US could be interpreted as a positive message but we need to be clear: it is only a message. What the US authorities must do is to immediately end the illegal blockade, which has been in place for over 54 years.   

“We strongly reject this illegal and criminal blockade, and denounce that it not only cost more than 16 million dollars per day to the Cuban people last year, but is also an illegal attack on the sovereignty of third countries through its extraterritorial application, which continues being used as an unacceptable and failed attempt to isolate the Socialist Government of Cuba.

“We celebrate the adoption of the UN Resolution without any vote against it and we request Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, to do whatever is possible to fight against the blockade by putting pressure on the US authorities, denouncing the blockade's consequences, and by publicly demanding its immediate termination.”     

Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to Central America, Sofia Sakorafa, adds: “Although some progress has been achieved in the bilateral relations between the United States and Cuba, the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuban people remains in force and the restrictions imposed by this policy are still applied.”

“I deeply regret that the US once again lost the opportunity and the historical momentum within the framework of the United Nations to vote for the lifting of this criminal, murderous and illegal blockage policy.

“As DCAM Chair, I will continue to work by all means possible, for this murderous policy to be overthrown!” Sakorafa concluded.

 

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