krp
2009-10-23 22:02:12 UTC
PROPAGANDA MINISTER
"COMRADE Dan Christensen" <***@netcom.ca> wrote in message news:88baf6c0-b43b-48af-867c-***@e18g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...
For 17 years in a row now, the UN General Assembly has voted
overwhelmingly to condemn the cruel and inhumane US sanctions against
the Cuban people. Following are (1) the report submitted by Cuba in
support of the current resolution now before the General Assembly,
and (2) excerpts from Amnesty International's latest reports on the US
embargo.
Except, Comrade Cristensen, the UN resolution does NOT use the word
"CONDEMN." YOU DO! The problem below, Comrade Christensen is that YOU mix
the words of the various organizations and pepper them with yoour own
EDITORIAL COMMENTS without properly identifyling which words are theirs and
which are YOURS. Making the whole thing fundam entally unreliable and
COMPLETELY DISHONEST. I will say once again, Comrade Christensen that you
are a LIAR! A sad OLD cold warrior Canadian Stalinist. Youn have EARNED the
reputation as a BULLSHIT ARTIST!
Dan
Visit my CUBA: Issues & Answers website at (Note new address. Please update
your bookmarks and links.)
******************************************
Report by Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the UN General Assembly:
The necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial
blockade imposed by the USA against Cuba.
1. Introduction
The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United
States against Cuba 50 years ago is the most elevated expression of a
cruel and inhuman policy, lacking in legality and legitimacy and
deliberately designed to create hunger, illnesses and desperation
within the Cuban populace. Nothing has changed through ten successive
US governments other than a tightening of this policy. Nothing
essential has changed either since the new US government was
inaugurated in January 2009.
With the absolute compliance with Resolution 63/7, adopted by the UN
General Assembly on October 29, 2008, in a vote of 185 nations in
favour and only 3 opposed, the government of the United States, far
from lifting the economic, commercial and financial embargo it had
imposed on the Republic of Cuba, has maintained in effect the laws,
regulations and practices that sustain it. It has continued to
reinforce the political, administrative and repressive mechanisms for
it’s more efficacious and deliberate implementation.
The present US government has continued to rigorously apply the
embargo against Cuba. It has made no declarations, not to mention
taken any steps, directed towards the removal of the complex maze of
laws and administrative regulations that make up the legal bases and
the regulations of the embargo. Neither have the foundations upon
which that policy has been erected been modified. This can be
demonstrated by the laws and regulations described below.
Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA). It was enacted as a war measure in
1917 in order to restrict trade with nations considered to be
hostile. Subsequently, its application was expanded to authorize the
president to regulate ownership transactions that involved any of its
nationals in a foreign country, both in time of war as “during any
period of national emergency declared by the president”. The first
regulations of the embargo against Cuba in 1962 are based on this act.
Foreign Aid Act. By means of this act, enacted in 19671, the United
States Congress authorized the president of that country to establish
and maintain “a total embargo on trade between the United States and
Cuba”. It also prohibited the granting of any aid to the government
of Cuba.
Export Administration Act (EAA). Adopted in 1979 as the result of the
review of controls over exports. It authorized the president to
control, en general, the export and re-export of goods and technology
and, in particular, to restrict those exports that would contribute to
the military potential of any country, detrimental to US national
security.
Cuban Democracy Act (CDA). More widely known as the Torricelli Act,
it was signed into law by President Bush (father) in October 1992.
With it, the US government reinforced economic measures against Cuba
and provided normative support to the extra-territorial dimensionof
the embargo. It prohibited companies that were subsidiaries of US
companies in third countries from carrying out transactions with Cuba
or Cuban nationals and the entry into US territory, during a term of
180 days, of vessels from third countries that had put into Cuban
ports, just to name a few of the restrictions.
Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act.Known as the Helms-Burton Act, it was
approved by President Clinton in March 1996. It sought to discourage
foreign investment and to internationalize the Cuban embargo. It
codified the regulations of the embargo, limited the presidential
prerogatives to suspend this policy and broadened its extra-
territorial scope. It refused entry into the United States of
executives of foreign companies (and their families) who had invested
in “confiscated” property in Cuba and established the possibility of
taking them to trial in US courts.
Export Administration Act (EAA). Adopted in 1979 as the result of the
review of controls over exports. It authorized the president to
control, in general, the export and re-export of goods and technology
and, in particular, to restrict those exports that would contribute to
the military potential of any country detrimental to US national
security.
Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Among these, there is the
prohibition on exports from the US to Cuba, other than exceptions that
are specified in the regulation itself or those that are authorized by
licences issued by the US Bureau of Industry and Security of the
Department of Commerce. Said regulations are protected by the Trading
with the Enemy Act and the Export Administration Act.
The extent of legislation and regulations mentioned above
demonstrates, moreover, that there has never been such a wide-ranging
and brutal embargo against a people like the one the US is maintaining
against Cuba. On the one hand, this classifies as genocide by virtue
of Section c of Article II of the Geneva Convention of 1948 on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and, on the other
hand, as an act of economic war, according to the stipulations of the
declaration regarding Maritime War adopted by the 1909 London Naval
Conference.
The embargo against Cuba is not a bilateral issue between our country
and the United States. The repeated extra-territorial application of
US laws and the persecution against the legitimate interests of
companies and citizens of third countries significantly have
repercussions on the sovereignty of many other States.
Protected by this policy, sanctions continue to be applied on US and
European companies that do business with Cuba. Persons who are ill in
Cuba cannot in many instances benefit from new diagnostics,
technologies or drugs, even though their lives depend on it because
independently of the fact that these were products or were available
in a third country, the embargo laws forbid that Cuba acquires even
just one single component or program that comes from the United
States.
According to very conservative figures, the direct harm inflicted on
Cuba as a result of the embargo, until December 2008, surpasses 96
billion dollars, a figure that would reach 36 thousand 221 million
dollars, if the calculation were to be made using today’s value of the
US dollar. It is not difficult to imagine the progress Cuba would
have been able to achieve and how much progress has been denied it if
it hadn’t been for these 50 years of being submitted to this brutal
economic war.
In open defiance of the growing demands both inside and outside the US
that this policy be eliminated, the new American government has
reiterated gain and again its intention to maintain the embargo
against Cuba. US Vice President Joseph Biden declared: “The US will
maintain the embargo as a tool to apply pressure on Cuba”.
In the chapters of this report, the real scope of the measures
regarding Cuba adopted by the new US administration are sketched out
and the repercussions of the embargo on Cuba between March of 2008 and
April of 2009 are recorded.
Declarations made in the framework of the Summit of Progressive
Leaders in Chile, March 28, 2009.
2. The New US Administration. Measures Adopted.
The media and diplomatic offensive unleashed by the US government
could erroneously lead one to the belief that the embargo against Cuba
has started to be dismantled. However, nothing is further from the
truth, as we shall demonstrate:
What measures have been adopted by the White House?
Elimination of restrictions on family visits –to the limit of third
degree of consanguinity – for Cuban residents in the United States.
Elimination of restrictions on Cuban-Americans sending remittances to
relatives in Cuba with the limit of up to the third degree of
consanguinity and excluding “members of the government of Cuba” and
“members of the Communist Party of Cuba”.
Widening the range of articles that may be sent in packages as gifts.
Granting of licences so that American companies can broaden certain
telecommunications operations with Cuba.
These measures, if they indeed make good in part for a serious
injustice, by returning to Cuban residents in the US their right to
visit family in Cuba –have been taken away from them by the George W.
Bush government – they are insufficient and have a very limited scope
since they go no further than the intention of returning to the
situation family relations existed in the year 2004 when the economic
embargo was already fully in effect and being applied.
Likewise, even though the limitations on frequency and duration of
visits mentioned above are taken away, that a broader concept of
family members who may be visited be restored even with restrictions,
and that the limit on daily expenditures be increased for the
visitors, the prohibition on Cuban residents in the US who do not have
family in Cuba travelling to Cuba still remains.
The measures referred to also do not at all look after the restitution
of the constitutional right of American citizens to travel freely to
Cuba, the only country in the world that they are forbidden from
visiting.
As for the eventual granting of licences so that American companies
can broaden certain telecommunications operations with Cuba, we must
emphasize that this measure is not a new one. The Torricelli Act
established a legal framework that allows, since 1962,
telecommunications services to be provided to Cuba. However, from
that same era, the different administrations limited that possibility
to telephone communications and they even restricted the type of
service that the American companies were able to provide. None of the
recently announced measures indicates that those limitations or
restrictions are going to be modified. Until the present moment, its
nature is essentially a media gimmick. There has been absolutely no
announcement about the regulations that ought to accompany the
measure.
3. Repercussions of the Embargo on the Most Sensitive Social Sectors
With the purpose of defeating the Cuban people through hunger and
illnesses, the public health and food sectors have continued being
prioritized objectives of the embargo policy.
Public Health
Between May 2008 and April 2009 repercussions on the public health
sector add up to 25 million dollars.
The economic damages are basically due to the need of acquiring
products and equipment in markets that are further away, using
intermediaries for such purposes and the subsequent increase in the
prices that such procedures bring with them.
Prohibition or the not granting of visas to Cuban scientists and
health specialists so that they can take part in numerous scientific
congresses and events in the US constitutes an obstacle for
professional up-dating, the confrontation of techniques being used in
treatment of different conditions and the exchange of experiences that
under different conditions could be beneficial for both countries.
The damage caused Cuba by the embargo is particularly cruel in this
area, not only for its economic effects, but in particular because of
the suffering this creates for patients and their families and for the
direct incidence on the health of the Cuban population.
Some examples that demonstrate the damages caused in the area of
health during the reference period are:
Since 2003, el National Genetic Medicine Centre has been trying to
acquire Analyzer Equipment for genes with the capacity for automatic
sequencing and fragment analysis, something that is essential for the
study of the origin of high incidence diseases in the population and
which are among the prime causes of death: breast, colon and prostate
cancers; arterial hypertension; asthma; diabetes mellitus; mental
disorders, etc. Cuba has not been able to acquire this equipment yet
since it is exclusively manufactured by companies under a US patent,
such as the company Applied Biosystem (ABI).
The Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Institute, via Empresa
Alimport, requested the American company Cook Vascular Inc. holding
the sole patent, for the purchase of equipment for the extraction of
permanent electrodes. The use of this equipment is essential for
patients with septic complications in an implanted permanent electrode
or in any other malfunction of the electrode. If this procedure
cannot be carried out, an open thorax operation must be performed,
implying a serious risk for the life of the patient. This company did
not respond to the Cuban request.
Empresa MEDICUBA, via Empresa Alimport, made a request to buy vascular
prostheses from BARD, forceps for endomiocardiac biopsias from CORDIS
and implements for inflation to be used with balloon catheters from
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC. Only a negative reply was received from the Bard
Company along with notification that they could not provide Cuba with
a quote on the product requested because of the embargo law. The
other companies did not even reply to the requests, for fear of
eventual consequences from the embargo policy.
Sistema Integrado de Urgencias Médicas (SIUM) was affected by the US
government prohibition, not allowing the Pastors for Peace Caravan to
donate three Ford ambulances to Cuba; their second-hand value on the
market is around 24,000 dollars each. As a result, the ambulances
could not arrive in our country.
The health of Cuban children has also been negatively affected by the
brutal embargo policy:
Children’s hospitals face serious obstacles when it comes to acquiring
materials suitable for small children, such as better quality and more
durable vesicular, digestive and tracheal probes, Huber needles for
tracheotomies and lumbar injections, most of which come from the US.
Cuban children suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia cannot use
Erwinia L-asparaginasa, a medicine commercially known as Elspar, since
the US pharmaceutical company Merck and Co. refuses to sell this
product to Cuba.
The William Soler Pediatric Cardio-centre cannot acquire devices such
as catheters, coils, guides and stents that are used to diagnose and
treat children with complex congenital cardiopathies via
catheterization. The US companies NUMED, AGA and BOSTON SCIENTIFIC are
not permitted to sell these products to Cuba. The list of children to
have open-heart surgery last year increased by 8 new cases:
1.-Osdenis Díaz, 30 months old, P. del Río, HC 684805
2.-Leinier Ramírez Pérez, 9 months old, Camagüey, HC 686901
3.- Leidy Reyes Blanco, 2 years old, Camagüey, HC 684376
4.- José Luis Sanamé, 13 years old, Ciego de Ávila, HC 687071
5.- Yusmary Rodríguez Márquez, 12 years old, C. Habana, HC 686546
6.- Pedro P. Valle Ros, 5 years old, Matanzas, HC 685014
7.- Osniel Pérez Espinosa, 5 years old, C. Habana, HC 679922
8.- Roilán Martínez Pérez, 3 years old, Pinar del Río, HC 685449
All of these children do not have much hope of receiving the immediate
health care they require as a result of the cruel impact of the
embargo.
The following cases are examples of the extra-territorial effect of
the embargo on the health sector.
The Cuban company GCATE S.A., specializes in the purchase of
technological equipment for the health sector; it has faced serious
difficulties with the Dutch company Philips Medical since after a
series of equipment was bought and installed, the Dutch company
refused to provide spare parts and this forces us to buy them through
third countries; this increases the price and makes maintenance an
even more difficult task. The justification for this discriminatory
treatment is said to be the regulations of the embargo on Cuba.
HITACHI, which is not a US company, refuses to sell Cuba an electronic
microscope, of the kind used in pathological anatomy. It is alleged
that the embargo is to blame for this. This situation obliges us to
look elsewhere for alternatives and that makes the final price of the
product much more expensive.
TOSHIBA, which is not a US company either, because of the embargo
restrictions, refuses to sell Cuba high technology equipment such as
the gamma chamber, used to do studies with radioactive isotopes in
nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance and high precision ultra-sound.
As a result, health services for the Cuban population have been
affected.
Food
Besides facing up to the adverse consequences of the global crisis in
areas such as food, energy, the economy and finances, Cuba had to
overcome the restrictions imposed by the embargo policy, with the
purpose of being able to meet the food needs of its population.
Even though US sales of food to Cuba have been allowed since 2000,
they are governed by the application of strict measures of supervision
and a complicated and bureaucratic process of granting licences, in
each case, by numerous American institutions. Despite the
announcement by the new American government last March 11 in regards
to the issuing of general licences for the export of food, the reality
of the situation is that the United States government continues
putting up obstacles for Cuba’s purchases and there has been no action
in sight directed towards carrying out these sales according to the
norms, channels and regular practices of international trade.
In 2008, because of additional costs coming from the obstacles to
transactions with the United States, ALIMPORT suffered losses of 154.9
million dollars. With those resources and in the same American
market, at those year’s average prices, Cuba could have bought
339,000 tons of wheat, or 615,000 tons of corn, or 126,760 tons of
chicken for the tables of the more than 11 million Cubans included in
the “Canasta Básica” (basic shopping-basket) programme.
In the period between April 2008 and March 2009, the agro-food sector,
so sensitive for the food security of the country, suffered losses on
account of the embargo to the tune of 121.8 million dollars.
The following examples will illustrate this situation:
As a result of the embargo, Cuba must put into refrigerated storage
around 3.79 million eggs on a monthly average in order to ensure
stable delivery to the population and avoid sudden shortages that
could affect the supply of raw materials of the fodder that comes from
the United States. The refrigeration costs for this purpose represent
an expenditure of 5.2 million dollars per year.
In the fishing industry, during the period in question, losses
amounted to 5.4 million dollars for the payment of greater tariffs in
the markets to which the goods were going, as well as the increase in
the cost of transportation, types of exchange and the increased risk
in the transportation of the goods as a result of having to make
longer trips.
Some examples showing the effect of the extra-territorial dimensionof
the embargo in the foods sector:
Joint Enterprise CORACAN S.A. (Cuban-Canadian capital), established
for the production and commercialization of instant foods, has
suffered economic losses of more than 146,000 dollars as a consequence
of the embargo affecting its relations with companies located in third
countries. Some examples:
In December 2008, the Canadian company SENSIENT FLAVORS, supplier of
raw materials for powdered orange flavouring, communicated that the
head office in Indianapolis, Ohio, U.S.A. was forbidding them to sell
supplies to Cuba.
The Canadian Sethness Products Company informed the directors of
CORACAN that they could not continue supplying the powdered caramel
colouring as per instructions from the head office in Chicago in the
US. Without being able to count on a supply of these raw materials
the CORACASN soft-drink factory had to stop production for 15 days; in
addition, they had to look for a new supplier and face the
corresponding price increase.
Joint Enterprise Los Portales (Cuban-French capital), established for
the production of water and soft-drinks, signed a contract with the
American subsidiary LATAPACK-BALL, located in Brazil, in order to
supply cans and aluminium lids, quoted an FOB price 25% less than the
world market price. In February 2009, this company verbally informed
the directors of the company that it was not authorized to supply Cuba
with those containers, even through the intermediation of the Nestlé
Group. This agreement would have allowed a reduction of 4.4 million
dollars in importing costs for the Cuban-French company.
In March 2009, LACTALIS USA, US branch of the French giant Lactalis,
producer of cheeses and dairy products, was sanctioned by the Office
of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (OFAC) with a
fine of 20,950 dollars because they had not fulfilled the embargo
regulations of “making electronic financial transfers in which Cuba,
or a Cuban citizen with interest, between February 2004 and March
2007”. This was the first penalty imposed by the OFAC since President
Obama’s arrival in the White House.
Others Sectors of Social Impact
The sectors of education and culture have been heavily impacted by the
embargo during these 50 years.
Education
The embargo has negative repercussions on all levels of schooling. In
spite of the efforts being made by the Cuban government to ensure
quality education for all, the effects of the embargo translate into
daily shortages that affect the learning process, research and
scientific work in general.
Some examples follow:
During the period between May 2008 and April 2009, the total cost of
products imported for the sector ran to a value of approximately 40
million dollars. Of this sum, 8.7% went towards paying freight
charges in the cases of products coming in from the Asian markets. If
Cuba would have been able to make these purchases in the American
market it would have only had to use 3.9% of the same value to pay for
freight charges. The additional cost totals 1.39 million dollars
which might have been used to buy 40 million pencils, a million boxes
of Plasticine for primary schools and nurseries and 550,000 boxes of
wax crayons.
Cuban teachers and professors have no access to an up-to-date
bibliography of US writers or research centres since the publishing
houses of that country and the branches in other countries refuse to
sell them to Cuba. The acquisition of these materials in distant
markets adds high costs for freight charges.
It is impossible for Cuba to acquire a group of psycho-educational
instruments corresponding to the WPPISI, WAIS and GRACE techniques
that are used to determine levels of intellectual, emotional and motor
development in children, adolescents and young people with special
education needs, due to the fact that said instruments come from the
United States.
In the period of time which we are analyzing, the higher education
sector has suffered losses totalling 3.8 million dollars affecting
production and services, income other than for goods and services,
lack of access to American technology, cancelled academic programmes,
bank transfers and projects that could not be carried out.
Access to the Internet, an essential tool for universities, is limited
due to the fact that the American government prohibits Cuban access to
undersea cables and the technologies that would allow the broad band
to be available to a significant extent in the country.
The educational sector has not escaped the effects of the extra-
territorial dimensionof the embargo.
The School of Economy at the University of Havana needs to renovate
three elevators. To do so it needs to acquire GAL and ECI parts from
Canada. During 2008, negotiations went on with a Canadian firm that
sent an offer for the amount of 11,318 dollars. However, after
signing the contract and opening a letter of credit, the purchase
could not go through because 100% of the components originate in the
USA and the manufacturer refused to make the sale to Cuba because of
the embargo. The operation was carried out later with another
supplier, at a cost of 200% more than the earlier offer.
Culture
Application of the embargo policy on the cultural area has deprived
both countries of cultural exchanges that have been intense throughout
history. The embargo has prevented our peoples from enjoying the best
of artistic, literary and cultural expressions that both the nations
have to offer.
Some of the main effects produced during the period:
In May of this year, the famous Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio
Rodríguez was refused a US Visa after he received a special invitation
to take part in the concert for the 90th birthday of the famous
American musician Pete Seeger.
ARTEX was seriously harmed in its record selling rights. The embargo
prevents the proper promotion and distribution of musical talent,
significantly decreases sales prices and limits the enjoyment of Cuban
music. In the period between May 2008 and April 2009, we estimate
losses close to 130,000 dollars for sales that could not take place.
The Instituto Cubano del Libro (Cuban Book Institute) (ICL) was
affected in commercialization of Cuban literature due to the
impossibility of being able to cash cheques or receive transfers in
dollars from foreign publishing houses with which they sign
contracts. The NORMA Publishers of Puerto Rico have not been able to
make the corresponding payments for contracted works by the authors
Nicolás Guillén, Dora Alonso, David Chericián and Roberto Fernández
Retamar.
Activities of the Fondo de Bienes Culturales (Cultural Assets Fund)
have been particularly affected by the lack of raw materials and the
essential materials needed to develop the visual and applied arts. As
in other areas, Cuba is forced to acquire materials and media
originating in the US at prices incomparably higher in markets that
are further away in Europe and Asia. During the period we are
analyzing, losses for this concept are estimated to total 636,990
dollars.
The Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (Cuban
Institute of Cinema Art and Industry) (ICAIC) faces significant
limitations in distribution, exhibition, restoration and preservation
of its film heritage as the result of the impossibility of acquiring
equipment, technology, spare parts and materials that are vital to the
development of these activities. It is practically impossible to buy
these media outside of the US; and media that can be obtained, via
third parties, are much more expensive.
Sports
Cuban sports also offer numerous examples where we can see the
application of the embargo.
It has been impossible for Cuba to buy liquid chromatography equipment
which goes along with Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) that nowadays is
essential for anti-doping control since the American government
forbids American companies and their subsidiaries in third countries
from supplying Cuba. Likewise, the authorities in Washington refuse
the right to acquire reactives and referencial substances for work in
the anti-doping laboratory.
Conservative calculations on losses for equipment that is unable to be
used because of lack of spare parts that cannot be bought in the US
indicate a total of 781,000 dollars.
Transportation
Despite the enormous efforts made by the Cuban government to encourage
the sector of transportation and to repair roads for the benefit of
the population, the embargo continues to hold up the country’s
development plans. During the period between March 2008 and April
2009, this sector was affected to a total of 357 million 802 thousand
dollars.
Last March, the American ASTEC Industries Inc. refused a request sent
in by a Cuban body for the acquisition of equipment for the
rehabilitation of flexible pavements. The answer was based on the
criteria that because of the existence of the embargo regulations,
they could not begin any discussion on the subject.
Last March 20, General Cable Inc., a company selling electrical
materials, indicated that it could not establish commercial relations
with Cuba because it had not been informed about any change in the
trade relations between Cuba and the United States. With that, they
backed up their answer saying that “(…) unfortunately, due to the
international laws established by the US State Department, it is not
allowed to establish commercial relations with Cuba at this time”.
Naval repairs have also been affected by the embargo. Purchases of
materials and the products needed to develop this activity have become
20% more expensive since they now have to be bought in Europe, and
this represents 5.52 million dollars.
The network of national roads has 2,886.3 kilometres in average and
poor condition. To be repaired, we need 327.9 million dollars and
600.0 million dollars to construct the remaining sections of the
National Highway. However, Cuba cannot accede to the funding
authorized by the World Bank, such as the Inter-American Development
Bank, for this kind of infra-structure, bearing in mind that these
bodies are controlled by the US. According to the body’s Web-site,
just between November 2007 and April 2009, the Inter-American
Development Bank authorized funds for infrastructure projects in Latin
American and Caribbean countries for a total of 750 million 930
thousand dollars.
Empresa Alimport is in charge of processing purchases of foods and
medical products from American companies.
4. Opposition to The Genocidal Policy of The Embargo Against Cuba.
In the last few months, international attention to the subject of
bilateral relations between the US and Cuba has increased. Clearly
the demand that the embargo against Cuba be eliminated and that the
policy of hostility cease against a small country is stronger and
firmer than ever before.
Last October 29, for the seventeenth consecutive time, the UN General
Assembly adopted, with the overwhelming majority of member states the
resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” (63/7),
with the highest vote that this resolution has reached in that UN
body.
The General Assembly, with the favourable vote of 185 of its members,
categorically reiterated the call to discontinue this illegal and
genocidal policy being imposed by the government of the United States
on the people of Cuba. That backing by the international community is
consistent with its rejection of the application of economic,
commercial and financial measures with extra-territorial effects and
that are contrary to international law and to the principles of the UN
Charter.
Many voices in the world were raised in favour of ceasing this inhuman
policy. During the period this report is dealing with, numerous
statements were made calling for the end of this policy. Among these,
the most outstanding are:
On May 16, 2008, the declaration of the V Latin America and Caribbean-
European Union Summit held in Lima Peru was adopted. In one of its
paragraphs the Heads of State and Government in both regions agreed to
the following: “(…) We firmly reject all the coercive measures, of a
unilateral dimension and extra-territorial effect that are contrary to
International Law and the norms generally accepted for free trade. We
coincide in the fact that this kind of practice represents a serious
threat to resolution A/RES/62/3 of the UNGA, we reaffirm our well-
known positions about the application of the extra-territorial
regulations of the Helms-Burton Act.”
On October 3, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of the group of
African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP), meeting at their 6th
Summit Conference held in Ghana, approved the Declaration of Accra in
which it “condemned the use of coercive unilateral measures such as
illegal sanctions adopted against certain developing countries with
the purpose of preventing said countries from exercising their right
to determine their political, economic and social system and they
reject the application of laws and unilateral and extra-territorial
measures contrary to international law, such as the Helms-Burton Act.”
On December 8, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of Cuba and of
states making up CARICOM, meeting on the occasion of the Third Cuba-
CARICOM Summit, adopted a declaration where it states that “an end
should be put to the economic, commercial and financial embargo
against the Republic of Cuba and (where it) urges the government of
the United States to listen to the overwhelming call from the immense
majority of the members of the United Nations, and to immediately lift
the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against
the Republic of Cuba and the ceasing of the application of the
measures adopted on May 6, 2004”.
On December 17, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, meeting in Brazil, on
the occasion of the First Latin American and Caribbean Summit on
Integration and Development, adopted a Special Declaration on the
necessity of ending the economic embargo against Cuba in which they
rejected “most energetically the application of laws and measures
contrary to International Law such as the Helms-Burton Act”; “they
urged the government of the United States to end their application “
and “to comply with stipulations in 17 successive resolutions approved
in the UN General Assembly and to end the economic, commercial and
financial embargo which it maintains against Cuba”.
The ALBA countries (the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our
America) have repeatedly and categorically rejected the embargo
imposed against Cuba by the United States. At their summit meeting
held in Cumaná, Venezuela on April 17, 2009, the Heads of State or
Government of the ALBA member countries reiterated their condemnation
of the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the US against
Cuba and they decided to reiterate “the declaration that all the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean adopted on December 16,
2008, on the necessity to end the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed by the United States government on Cuba, including
application of the so-called Helms-Burton Act”.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement, on the
occasion of the Ministerial Meeting of the Movement Coordination
Bureau held in Havana, April 27-30, 2009, “reiterated once again their
call on the government of the United States to end the economic,
commercial and financial embargo against Cuba that, besides being
unilateral and contrary to the UN Charter, international law, as well
as the good neighbour principle, causes great material losses and
economic damage to the people of Cuba”. Moreover: “once again they
urged strict compliance with resolutions 47/19, 48/16, 49/9, 50/10,
51/17, 52/10, 53/4, 54/21, 55/20, 56/9, 57/11, 58/7, 59/11, 60/12,
61/11, 62/3 and 63/7 of the United Nations General Assembly”; “they
expressed their profound concern for the growing extra-territorial
dimension of the embargo against Cuba”; and “they rejected the
reinforcement of measures adopted by the US government in order to
toughen the embargo, as well as all the other measures applied by the
US government against the people of Cuba”.
In the declaration of the VI Extraordinary ALBA Summit – Peoples’
Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) held in Maracay, Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela on June 24, 2009, the Heads of State or Government of the
member countries “ratified their absolute condemnation of the
economic, commercial and financial embargo of the United States
against Cuba and they reiterated their call for this to be eliminated,
immediately and unconditionally.”
Opposition to the embargo is also growing significantly in the very
United States.
On May 8, 2008, the Committee for Tourism and Trips of the Alabama
House of Representatives approved a resolution in which they requested
President Bush, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Congress
to lift the restrictions on trips to Cuba, especially from the state
of Alabama.
On May 27, 2008, The Washington Post published an article “The Crazy
Embargo against Cuba” by Eugene Robinson, in which he described the
policy towards our country as “incredibly stupid (…) childish,
irresponsible and counter-productive.””
From September 23 to 25, 2008, Zogby International and Inter-American
Dialogue carried out a survey of 2,700 US voters about different
subjects that affect Latin America. Regarding Cuba, the survey found
out that around 60% of the people surveyed were in favour of the US
revising its policy towards Cuba and allowing trade between US
companies and that country. Also, 68% supported the idea that all
Americans should be able to travel to Cuba.
On October 17, 2008, the US magazine Science published an editorial,
signed by the Secretary of International Relations of the Academy of
Sciences of Cuba and his peer in the National Academy of Sciences in
the US in which they advocate the lifting of the restrictions to a
bilateral academia exchange.
On October 24, 2008, the representative of the Canadian medical-
pharmaceutical company Cari Med Canada Trading Inc., Alberto
Rodríguez, during his participation at the VIII Central American and
Caribbean Congress for Anaesthesiology, Reanimation and Pain in Havana
expressed that “the permits issued by the US Departments of Commerce
and the Treasury in order to sell products to Cuba are extremely
restricted, with a very high degree of detail”. According to his
declarations, some completely absurd information is requested of the
applicants. Likewise, he described that act of putting up obstacles
for Cuban access to medical equipment and devices needed to save human
lives as “criminal, genocidal and barbarian”.
On December 4, 2008, a group of trade, travel and agriculture-related
organizations and associations sent a letter to President Obama
entitled “Re-examining US policy towards Cuba”; in the letter they
requested him to go further than his campaign promises and carry out a
broader review of American policy. The letter was signed by the
authorized representatives of 12 organizations, among them the US
Agriculture Federation, the American Society of Travel Agents, the US
Chamber of Commerce, the National Foreign Trade Council and USA
Engage. That same day, the US Travel agent association, ASTA, asked
the president-elect, Barack Obama, to eliminate all travel
restrictions to Cuba.
In November 2008, the Group of Studies on Cuba (GEC) and the Brookings
Institution, funded a survey carried out by the International
University of Florida (FIU) during the three weeks following the
presidential election, with the aim of measuring the opinions of Cuban-
Americans about US policy towards Cuba.
The survey revealed that, on the subject of remittances, 65% of the
surveyed people were in favour of a return to the pre-2003 conditions;
66% supported re-establishing trips for Cuba-Americans, while 67%
showed that they were in favour of the elimination of the restrictions
imposed on American citizens. 79% considered that the embargo was not
working and 55% were opposed to the idea that it continues to be
applied. 65% favoured re-establishing diplomatic relations between
the US and Cuba and 79% were of the opinion that both governments
ought to establish a direct dialogue on subjects of mutual interest.
On February 23, 2009, the document titled “Changing the policy towards
Cuba in the national interest of the United States” was released,
drawn up by the office of Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and circulated
in the Senate plenary and, in particular, to the members of the
Foreign Relations Committee.
After acknowledging the failure of the US policy towards Cuba, the
report presents a series of recommendations. Among these, the
outstanding ones are: replace the conditionality of the US approach by
a a rapprochement or progressive commitment; lift the restrictions on
trips and remittances for Cuba-Americans; and, review the Torricelli
and Helms-Burton Acts, along with the reports of the Commission for
Aid to a Free Cuba. Moreover, it proposed to re-establish bilateral
conversations, establish cooperation strategies in the area of
migration and the war on drugs and to make more flexible the measures
being applied in the economic area.
On February 23, fourteen congressmen signed a letter to President
Obama in which they supported “free trade between Cuba and the US”,
arguing for the economic advantages that could result for both
nations.
As it can be appreciated, in a growing spectrum of US public opinion,
the perception of the need for a basic change in government policy
regarding Cuba is broadened; the lifting of the economic, commercial
and financial embargo would constitute an essential variable.
Conclusions
The conduct of the United States government since October 2008 – when
Resolution 63/7 was adopted – until May 2009, confirms that that
country has not taken one step to put an end to the economic, trade
and financial embargo it imposes on the Republic of Cuba. Quite the
opposite; it has flagrantly not complied with stipulations made by the
General Assembly since reports were made about numerous actions
reinforcing the embargo policy.
The direct economic repercussions on the Cuban people due to the
application of the economic, trade and financial embargo by the US
against Cuba until December 2008, calculated on a conservative basis,
totals 96 billion dollars, a figure that would reach 236,221 million
dollars if calculations were made using the current rate of Exchange
on the US dollar. That figure does not include direct repercussions
on the economic and social goals of the country inflicted by sabotage
and terrorist acts that are encouraged, organized and financed from
the United States.
The economic, trade and financial embargo, imposed by the government
of the United States against Cuba, continues being the prime obstacle
to the economic and social growth of the country, as well as for its
recovery after the passage of three devastating hurricanes that
affected it in 2008.
The embargo violates International Law. It is contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. It constitutes
a transgression on the right to peace, development and security of a
sovereign state. In its essence and its aims, it is an act of
unilateral aggression and a permanent threat against the stability of
a country. It constitutes a flagrant, massive and systematic
violation of the rights of an entire people. It is also in violation
of the constitutional rights of the American people since it denies
them the freedom to travel to Cuba. Moreover, it violates the
sovereign rights of many other states because of its extra-territorial
nature.
In spite of the intense and growing complaints by the international
community to the new US government to effectuate a change of policy
towards Cuba, the lifting of the embargo and the normalization of
bilateral relations, the government of President Obama has maintained
the embargo policy intact.
Besides being illegal, the embargo is morally unsustainable. There is
no like unilateral system of punishments in existence being carried
out against any other country in the world for such an extended period
of time. Therefore, the United States must lift the embargo, with no
more delays or excuses.
******************************************
Reports from Amnesty International
The facts as documented in reports recently released by Amnesty
International (my emphasis):
March 2009
"Amnesty International urges the US government to lift the nearly five-
decade long economic and trade embargo against Cuba as it is
detrimental to the fulfillment of the economic and social rights of
the Cuban people. It OBSTRUCTS AND CONSTRAINS efforts by the Cuban
government to purchase essential medicines, medical equipment and
supplies, food and agricultural products, construction materials and
access to new technologies.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/002/2009/en/e7b1efe4-27f4-4b2c-9a39-23c88749e39e/amr250022009en.html
September 2009
"The US embargo against Cuba is IMMORAL and should be lifted. It’s
preventing millions of Cubans from benefiting from vital medicines and
medical equipment essential for their health."
"Because of the US embargo, Cuba faces SEVERE RESTRICTIONS in
importing medicines, medical equipment or technologies from the USA or
from any US company abroad. The sanctions also limit other imports to
the island and restrict travel and the transfer of money."
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/president-obama-should-take-lead-lifting-embargo-against-cuba-20090902
"Amnesty International calls on the US Congress to take, WITHOUT
FURTHER DELAY, the necessary steps towards lifting the economic,
financial and trade embargo against Cuba...
"The UN General Assembly has repeatedly CONDEMNED the US embargo as
contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
On 29 October 2008 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution
reiterating for the 17th time its call on the USA to end its embargo
against Cuba. That resolution was adopted with 185 votes in favour,
three against and two abstentions. The Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights has also reiterated its position regarding “the impact of
such sanctions on the human rights of the Cuban people and, therefore,
INSISTS THAT THE EMBARGO BE LIFTED.”
“The RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE EMBARGO help to deprive Cuba of vital
access to medicines, new scientific and medical technology, food,
chemical water treatment and electricity.”
"The provision of health care has suffered from the LIMITATIONS AND
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE EMBARGO on the procurement of basic and
specialized medical equipment and chemical components needed for the
production of generic medicines....
"Cuba was UNABLE TO IMPORT nutritional products destined for children
and for consumption at schools, hospitals and day care centres. This
had an adverse effect on the health and nutritional status of the
population.
"Children’s health was also put at risk by a decision from syringe
suppliers to CANCEL an order for 3 million disposable syringes by
UNICEF’s Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization when it became
known that the units were destined for the implementation of the
programme in Cuba.
"The number of children suffering from heart conditions who are
waiting for appropriate treatment at a pediatric hospital has
increased after Cuba was unable to buy from the US-based companies the
necessary medical equipment for their treatment. The companies
allegedly refused to negotiate with Cuba because of the RESTRICTIONS
SET BY THE US EMBARGO.
"LACK OF ACCESS to products manufactured by United States companies
such as St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific and Amplatzer prevents the
provision of proper care to seriously ill patients who need a
pacemaker, St. Jude prosthetic valves or septal occluders, forcing
their treatment with alternative, riskier surgical techniques.
"It has been IMPOSSIBLE TO PURCHASE a positron emission tomography/
computerized tomography (PET/CT) scanner, a state-of-the-art piece of
medical equipment needed for treatment that is made by only three
manufacturers worldwide, all unauthorized to negotiate with Cuba."
The impact of economic sanctions on health and health services is not
limited to difficulties in the supply of medicine. Health and health
services depend on functioning water and sanitation infrastructure, on
electricity and other functioning equipment such as X-ray facilities
or refrigerators to store vaccines. The financial burden and
commercial barriers have led to shortages or intermittent availability
of drugs, medicines, equipment and spare parts. It has also hindered
the renovation of hospitals, clinics and care centres for the elderly.
"COMRADE Dan Christensen" <***@netcom.ca> wrote in message news:88baf6c0-b43b-48af-867c-***@e18g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...
For 17 years in a row now, the UN General Assembly has voted
overwhelmingly to condemn the cruel and inhumane US sanctions against
the Cuban people. Following are (1) the report submitted by Cuba in
support of the current resolution now before the General Assembly,
and (2) excerpts from Amnesty International's latest reports on the US
embargo.
Except, Comrade Cristensen, the UN resolution does NOT use the word
"CONDEMN." YOU DO! The problem below, Comrade Christensen is that YOU mix
the words of the various organizations and pepper them with yoour own
EDITORIAL COMMENTS without properly identifyling which words are theirs and
which are YOURS. Making the whole thing fundam entally unreliable and
COMPLETELY DISHONEST. I will say once again, Comrade Christensen that you
are a LIAR! A sad OLD cold warrior Canadian Stalinist. Youn have EARNED the
reputation as a BULLSHIT ARTIST!
Dan
Visit my CUBA: Issues & Answers website at (Note new address. Please update
your bookmarks and links.)
******************************************
Report by Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the UN General Assembly:
The necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial
blockade imposed by the USA against Cuba.
1. Introduction
The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United
States against Cuba 50 years ago is the most elevated expression of a
cruel and inhuman policy, lacking in legality and legitimacy and
deliberately designed to create hunger, illnesses and desperation
within the Cuban populace. Nothing has changed through ten successive
US governments other than a tightening of this policy. Nothing
essential has changed either since the new US government was
inaugurated in January 2009.
With the absolute compliance with Resolution 63/7, adopted by the UN
General Assembly on October 29, 2008, in a vote of 185 nations in
favour and only 3 opposed, the government of the United States, far
from lifting the economic, commercial and financial embargo it had
imposed on the Republic of Cuba, has maintained in effect the laws,
regulations and practices that sustain it. It has continued to
reinforce the political, administrative and repressive mechanisms for
it’s more efficacious and deliberate implementation.
The present US government has continued to rigorously apply the
embargo against Cuba. It has made no declarations, not to mention
taken any steps, directed towards the removal of the complex maze of
laws and administrative regulations that make up the legal bases and
the regulations of the embargo. Neither have the foundations upon
which that policy has been erected been modified. This can be
demonstrated by the laws and regulations described below.
Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA). It was enacted as a war measure in
1917 in order to restrict trade with nations considered to be
hostile. Subsequently, its application was expanded to authorize the
president to regulate ownership transactions that involved any of its
nationals in a foreign country, both in time of war as “during any
period of national emergency declared by the president”. The first
regulations of the embargo against Cuba in 1962 are based on this act.
Foreign Aid Act. By means of this act, enacted in 19671, the United
States Congress authorized the president of that country to establish
and maintain “a total embargo on trade between the United States and
Cuba”. It also prohibited the granting of any aid to the government
of Cuba.
Export Administration Act (EAA). Adopted in 1979 as the result of the
review of controls over exports. It authorized the president to
control, en general, the export and re-export of goods and technology
and, in particular, to restrict those exports that would contribute to
the military potential of any country, detrimental to US national
security.
Cuban Democracy Act (CDA). More widely known as the Torricelli Act,
it was signed into law by President Bush (father) in October 1992.
With it, the US government reinforced economic measures against Cuba
and provided normative support to the extra-territorial dimensionof
the embargo. It prohibited companies that were subsidiaries of US
companies in third countries from carrying out transactions with Cuba
or Cuban nationals and the entry into US territory, during a term of
180 days, of vessels from third countries that had put into Cuban
ports, just to name a few of the restrictions.
Cuban Liberty and Solidarity Act.Known as the Helms-Burton Act, it was
approved by President Clinton in March 1996. It sought to discourage
foreign investment and to internationalize the Cuban embargo. It
codified the regulations of the embargo, limited the presidential
prerogatives to suspend this policy and broadened its extra-
territorial scope. It refused entry into the United States of
executives of foreign companies (and their families) who had invested
in “confiscated” property in Cuba and established the possibility of
taking them to trial in US courts.
Export Administration Act (EAA). Adopted in 1979 as the result of the
review of controls over exports. It authorized the president to
control, in general, the export and re-export of goods and technology
and, in particular, to restrict those exports that would contribute to
the military potential of any country detrimental to US national
security.
Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Among these, there is the
prohibition on exports from the US to Cuba, other than exceptions that
are specified in the regulation itself or those that are authorized by
licences issued by the US Bureau of Industry and Security of the
Department of Commerce. Said regulations are protected by the Trading
with the Enemy Act and the Export Administration Act.
The extent of legislation and regulations mentioned above
demonstrates, moreover, that there has never been such a wide-ranging
and brutal embargo against a people like the one the US is maintaining
against Cuba. On the one hand, this classifies as genocide by virtue
of Section c of Article II of the Geneva Convention of 1948 on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and, on the other
hand, as an act of economic war, according to the stipulations of the
declaration regarding Maritime War adopted by the 1909 London Naval
Conference.
The embargo against Cuba is not a bilateral issue between our country
and the United States. The repeated extra-territorial application of
US laws and the persecution against the legitimate interests of
companies and citizens of third countries significantly have
repercussions on the sovereignty of many other States.
Protected by this policy, sanctions continue to be applied on US and
European companies that do business with Cuba. Persons who are ill in
Cuba cannot in many instances benefit from new diagnostics,
technologies or drugs, even though their lives depend on it because
independently of the fact that these were products or were available
in a third country, the embargo laws forbid that Cuba acquires even
just one single component or program that comes from the United
States.
According to very conservative figures, the direct harm inflicted on
Cuba as a result of the embargo, until December 2008, surpasses 96
billion dollars, a figure that would reach 36 thousand 221 million
dollars, if the calculation were to be made using today’s value of the
US dollar. It is not difficult to imagine the progress Cuba would
have been able to achieve and how much progress has been denied it if
it hadn’t been for these 50 years of being submitted to this brutal
economic war.
In open defiance of the growing demands both inside and outside the US
that this policy be eliminated, the new American government has
reiterated gain and again its intention to maintain the embargo
against Cuba. US Vice President Joseph Biden declared: “The US will
maintain the embargo as a tool to apply pressure on Cuba”.
In the chapters of this report, the real scope of the measures
regarding Cuba adopted by the new US administration are sketched out
and the repercussions of the embargo on Cuba between March of 2008 and
April of 2009 are recorded.
Declarations made in the framework of the Summit of Progressive
Leaders in Chile, March 28, 2009.
2. The New US Administration. Measures Adopted.
The media and diplomatic offensive unleashed by the US government
could erroneously lead one to the belief that the embargo against Cuba
has started to be dismantled. However, nothing is further from the
truth, as we shall demonstrate:
What measures have been adopted by the White House?
Elimination of restrictions on family visits –to the limit of third
degree of consanguinity – for Cuban residents in the United States.
Elimination of restrictions on Cuban-Americans sending remittances to
relatives in Cuba with the limit of up to the third degree of
consanguinity and excluding “members of the government of Cuba” and
“members of the Communist Party of Cuba”.
Widening the range of articles that may be sent in packages as gifts.
Granting of licences so that American companies can broaden certain
telecommunications operations with Cuba.
These measures, if they indeed make good in part for a serious
injustice, by returning to Cuban residents in the US their right to
visit family in Cuba –have been taken away from them by the George W.
Bush government – they are insufficient and have a very limited scope
since they go no further than the intention of returning to the
situation family relations existed in the year 2004 when the economic
embargo was already fully in effect and being applied.
Likewise, even though the limitations on frequency and duration of
visits mentioned above are taken away, that a broader concept of
family members who may be visited be restored even with restrictions,
and that the limit on daily expenditures be increased for the
visitors, the prohibition on Cuban residents in the US who do not have
family in Cuba travelling to Cuba still remains.
The measures referred to also do not at all look after the restitution
of the constitutional right of American citizens to travel freely to
Cuba, the only country in the world that they are forbidden from
visiting.
As for the eventual granting of licences so that American companies
can broaden certain telecommunications operations with Cuba, we must
emphasize that this measure is not a new one. The Torricelli Act
established a legal framework that allows, since 1962,
telecommunications services to be provided to Cuba. However, from
that same era, the different administrations limited that possibility
to telephone communications and they even restricted the type of
service that the American companies were able to provide. None of the
recently announced measures indicates that those limitations or
restrictions are going to be modified. Until the present moment, its
nature is essentially a media gimmick. There has been absolutely no
announcement about the regulations that ought to accompany the
measure.
3. Repercussions of the Embargo on the Most Sensitive Social Sectors
With the purpose of defeating the Cuban people through hunger and
illnesses, the public health and food sectors have continued being
prioritized objectives of the embargo policy.
Public Health
Between May 2008 and April 2009 repercussions on the public health
sector add up to 25 million dollars.
The economic damages are basically due to the need of acquiring
products and equipment in markets that are further away, using
intermediaries for such purposes and the subsequent increase in the
prices that such procedures bring with them.
Prohibition or the not granting of visas to Cuban scientists and
health specialists so that they can take part in numerous scientific
congresses and events in the US constitutes an obstacle for
professional up-dating, the confrontation of techniques being used in
treatment of different conditions and the exchange of experiences that
under different conditions could be beneficial for both countries.
The damage caused Cuba by the embargo is particularly cruel in this
area, not only for its economic effects, but in particular because of
the suffering this creates for patients and their families and for the
direct incidence on the health of the Cuban population.
Some examples that demonstrate the damages caused in the area of
health during the reference period are:
Since 2003, el National Genetic Medicine Centre has been trying to
acquire Analyzer Equipment for genes with the capacity for automatic
sequencing and fragment analysis, something that is essential for the
study of the origin of high incidence diseases in the population and
which are among the prime causes of death: breast, colon and prostate
cancers; arterial hypertension; asthma; diabetes mellitus; mental
disorders, etc. Cuba has not been able to acquire this equipment yet
since it is exclusively manufactured by companies under a US patent,
such as the company Applied Biosystem (ABI).
The Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Institute, via Empresa
Alimport, requested the American company Cook Vascular Inc. holding
the sole patent, for the purchase of equipment for the extraction of
permanent electrodes. The use of this equipment is essential for
patients with septic complications in an implanted permanent electrode
or in any other malfunction of the electrode. If this procedure
cannot be carried out, an open thorax operation must be performed,
implying a serious risk for the life of the patient. This company did
not respond to the Cuban request.
Empresa MEDICUBA, via Empresa Alimport, made a request to buy vascular
prostheses from BARD, forceps for endomiocardiac biopsias from CORDIS
and implements for inflation to be used with balloon catheters from
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC. Only a negative reply was received from the Bard
Company along with notification that they could not provide Cuba with
a quote on the product requested because of the embargo law. The
other companies did not even reply to the requests, for fear of
eventual consequences from the embargo policy.
Sistema Integrado de Urgencias Médicas (SIUM) was affected by the US
government prohibition, not allowing the Pastors for Peace Caravan to
donate three Ford ambulances to Cuba; their second-hand value on the
market is around 24,000 dollars each. As a result, the ambulances
could not arrive in our country.
The health of Cuban children has also been negatively affected by the
brutal embargo policy:
Children’s hospitals face serious obstacles when it comes to acquiring
materials suitable for small children, such as better quality and more
durable vesicular, digestive and tracheal probes, Huber needles for
tracheotomies and lumbar injections, most of which come from the US.
Cuban children suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia cannot use
Erwinia L-asparaginasa, a medicine commercially known as Elspar, since
the US pharmaceutical company Merck and Co. refuses to sell this
product to Cuba.
The William Soler Pediatric Cardio-centre cannot acquire devices such
as catheters, coils, guides and stents that are used to diagnose and
treat children with complex congenital cardiopathies via
catheterization. The US companies NUMED, AGA and BOSTON SCIENTIFIC are
not permitted to sell these products to Cuba. The list of children to
have open-heart surgery last year increased by 8 new cases:
1.-Osdenis Díaz, 30 months old, P. del Río, HC 684805
2.-Leinier Ramírez Pérez, 9 months old, Camagüey, HC 686901
3.- Leidy Reyes Blanco, 2 years old, Camagüey, HC 684376
4.- José Luis Sanamé, 13 years old, Ciego de Ávila, HC 687071
5.- Yusmary Rodríguez Márquez, 12 years old, C. Habana, HC 686546
6.- Pedro P. Valle Ros, 5 years old, Matanzas, HC 685014
7.- Osniel Pérez Espinosa, 5 years old, C. Habana, HC 679922
8.- Roilán Martínez Pérez, 3 years old, Pinar del Río, HC 685449
All of these children do not have much hope of receiving the immediate
health care they require as a result of the cruel impact of the
embargo.
The following cases are examples of the extra-territorial effect of
the embargo on the health sector.
The Cuban company GCATE S.A., specializes in the purchase of
technological equipment for the health sector; it has faced serious
difficulties with the Dutch company Philips Medical since after a
series of equipment was bought and installed, the Dutch company
refused to provide spare parts and this forces us to buy them through
third countries; this increases the price and makes maintenance an
even more difficult task. The justification for this discriminatory
treatment is said to be the regulations of the embargo on Cuba.
HITACHI, which is not a US company, refuses to sell Cuba an electronic
microscope, of the kind used in pathological anatomy. It is alleged
that the embargo is to blame for this. This situation obliges us to
look elsewhere for alternatives and that makes the final price of the
product much more expensive.
TOSHIBA, which is not a US company either, because of the embargo
restrictions, refuses to sell Cuba high technology equipment such as
the gamma chamber, used to do studies with radioactive isotopes in
nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance and high precision ultra-sound.
As a result, health services for the Cuban population have been
affected.
Food
Besides facing up to the adverse consequences of the global crisis in
areas such as food, energy, the economy and finances, Cuba had to
overcome the restrictions imposed by the embargo policy, with the
purpose of being able to meet the food needs of its population.
Even though US sales of food to Cuba have been allowed since 2000,
they are governed by the application of strict measures of supervision
and a complicated and bureaucratic process of granting licences, in
each case, by numerous American institutions. Despite the
announcement by the new American government last March 11 in regards
to the issuing of general licences for the export of food, the reality
of the situation is that the United States government continues
putting up obstacles for Cuba’s purchases and there has been no action
in sight directed towards carrying out these sales according to the
norms, channels and regular practices of international trade.
In 2008, because of additional costs coming from the obstacles to
transactions with the United States, ALIMPORT suffered losses of 154.9
million dollars. With those resources and in the same American
market, at those year’s average prices, Cuba could have bought
339,000 tons of wheat, or 615,000 tons of corn, or 126,760 tons of
chicken for the tables of the more than 11 million Cubans included in
the “Canasta Básica” (basic shopping-basket) programme.
In the period between April 2008 and March 2009, the agro-food sector,
so sensitive for the food security of the country, suffered losses on
account of the embargo to the tune of 121.8 million dollars.
The following examples will illustrate this situation:
As a result of the embargo, Cuba must put into refrigerated storage
around 3.79 million eggs on a monthly average in order to ensure
stable delivery to the population and avoid sudden shortages that
could affect the supply of raw materials of the fodder that comes from
the United States. The refrigeration costs for this purpose represent
an expenditure of 5.2 million dollars per year.
In the fishing industry, during the period in question, losses
amounted to 5.4 million dollars for the payment of greater tariffs in
the markets to which the goods were going, as well as the increase in
the cost of transportation, types of exchange and the increased risk
in the transportation of the goods as a result of having to make
longer trips.
Some examples showing the effect of the extra-territorial dimensionof
the embargo in the foods sector:
Joint Enterprise CORACAN S.A. (Cuban-Canadian capital), established
for the production and commercialization of instant foods, has
suffered economic losses of more than 146,000 dollars as a consequence
of the embargo affecting its relations with companies located in third
countries. Some examples:
In December 2008, the Canadian company SENSIENT FLAVORS, supplier of
raw materials for powdered orange flavouring, communicated that the
head office in Indianapolis, Ohio, U.S.A. was forbidding them to sell
supplies to Cuba.
The Canadian Sethness Products Company informed the directors of
CORACAN that they could not continue supplying the powdered caramel
colouring as per instructions from the head office in Chicago in the
US. Without being able to count on a supply of these raw materials
the CORACASN soft-drink factory had to stop production for 15 days; in
addition, they had to look for a new supplier and face the
corresponding price increase.
Joint Enterprise Los Portales (Cuban-French capital), established for
the production of water and soft-drinks, signed a contract with the
American subsidiary LATAPACK-BALL, located in Brazil, in order to
supply cans and aluminium lids, quoted an FOB price 25% less than the
world market price. In February 2009, this company verbally informed
the directors of the company that it was not authorized to supply Cuba
with those containers, even through the intermediation of the Nestlé
Group. This agreement would have allowed a reduction of 4.4 million
dollars in importing costs for the Cuban-French company.
In March 2009, LACTALIS USA, US branch of the French giant Lactalis,
producer of cheeses and dairy products, was sanctioned by the Office
of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (OFAC) with a
fine of 20,950 dollars because they had not fulfilled the embargo
regulations of “making electronic financial transfers in which Cuba,
or a Cuban citizen with interest, between February 2004 and March
2007”. This was the first penalty imposed by the OFAC since President
Obama’s arrival in the White House.
Others Sectors of Social Impact
The sectors of education and culture have been heavily impacted by the
embargo during these 50 years.
Education
The embargo has negative repercussions on all levels of schooling. In
spite of the efforts being made by the Cuban government to ensure
quality education for all, the effects of the embargo translate into
daily shortages that affect the learning process, research and
scientific work in general.
Some examples follow:
During the period between May 2008 and April 2009, the total cost of
products imported for the sector ran to a value of approximately 40
million dollars. Of this sum, 8.7% went towards paying freight
charges in the cases of products coming in from the Asian markets. If
Cuba would have been able to make these purchases in the American
market it would have only had to use 3.9% of the same value to pay for
freight charges. The additional cost totals 1.39 million dollars
which might have been used to buy 40 million pencils, a million boxes
of Plasticine for primary schools and nurseries and 550,000 boxes of
wax crayons.
Cuban teachers and professors have no access to an up-to-date
bibliography of US writers or research centres since the publishing
houses of that country and the branches in other countries refuse to
sell them to Cuba. The acquisition of these materials in distant
markets adds high costs for freight charges.
It is impossible for Cuba to acquire a group of psycho-educational
instruments corresponding to the WPPISI, WAIS and GRACE techniques
that are used to determine levels of intellectual, emotional and motor
development in children, adolescents and young people with special
education needs, due to the fact that said instruments come from the
United States.
In the period of time which we are analyzing, the higher education
sector has suffered losses totalling 3.8 million dollars affecting
production and services, income other than for goods and services,
lack of access to American technology, cancelled academic programmes,
bank transfers and projects that could not be carried out.
Access to the Internet, an essential tool for universities, is limited
due to the fact that the American government prohibits Cuban access to
undersea cables and the technologies that would allow the broad band
to be available to a significant extent in the country.
The educational sector has not escaped the effects of the extra-
territorial dimensionof the embargo.
The School of Economy at the University of Havana needs to renovate
three elevators. To do so it needs to acquire GAL and ECI parts from
Canada. During 2008, negotiations went on with a Canadian firm that
sent an offer for the amount of 11,318 dollars. However, after
signing the contract and opening a letter of credit, the purchase
could not go through because 100% of the components originate in the
USA and the manufacturer refused to make the sale to Cuba because of
the embargo. The operation was carried out later with another
supplier, at a cost of 200% more than the earlier offer.
Culture
Application of the embargo policy on the cultural area has deprived
both countries of cultural exchanges that have been intense throughout
history. The embargo has prevented our peoples from enjoying the best
of artistic, literary and cultural expressions that both the nations
have to offer.
Some of the main effects produced during the period:
In May of this year, the famous Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio
Rodríguez was refused a US Visa after he received a special invitation
to take part in the concert for the 90th birthday of the famous
American musician Pete Seeger.
ARTEX was seriously harmed in its record selling rights. The embargo
prevents the proper promotion and distribution of musical talent,
significantly decreases sales prices and limits the enjoyment of Cuban
music. In the period between May 2008 and April 2009, we estimate
losses close to 130,000 dollars for sales that could not take place.
The Instituto Cubano del Libro (Cuban Book Institute) (ICL) was
affected in commercialization of Cuban literature due to the
impossibility of being able to cash cheques or receive transfers in
dollars from foreign publishing houses with which they sign
contracts. The NORMA Publishers of Puerto Rico have not been able to
make the corresponding payments for contracted works by the authors
Nicolás Guillén, Dora Alonso, David Chericián and Roberto Fernández
Retamar.
Activities of the Fondo de Bienes Culturales (Cultural Assets Fund)
have been particularly affected by the lack of raw materials and the
essential materials needed to develop the visual and applied arts. As
in other areas, Cuba is forced to acquire materials and media
originating in the US at prices incomparably higher in markets that
are further away in Europe and Asia. During the period we are
analyzing, losses for this concept are estimated to total 636,990
dollars.
The Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (Cuban
Institute of Cinema Art and Industry) (ICAIC) faces significant
limitations in distribution, exhibition, restoration and preservation
of its film heritage as the result of the impossibility of acquiring
equipment, technology, spare parts and materials that are vital to the
development of these activities. It is practically impossible to buy
these media outside of the US; and media that can be obtained, via
third parties, are much more expensive.
Sports
Cuban sports also offer numerous examples where we can see the
application of the embargo.
It has been impossible for Cuba to buy liquid chromatography equipment
which goes along with Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) that nowadays is
essential for anti-doping control since the American government
forbids American companies and their subsidiaries in third countries
from supplying Cuba. Likewise, the authorities in Washington refuse
the right to acquire reactives and referencial substances for work in
the anti-doping laboratory.
Conservative calculations on losses for equipment that is unable to be
used because of lack of spare parts that cannot be bought in the US
indicate a total of 781,000 dollars.
Transportation
Despite the enormous efforts made by the Cuban government to encourage
the sector of transportation and to repair roads for the benefit of
the population, the embargo continues to hold up the country’s
development plans. During the period between March 2008 and April
2009, this sector was affected to a total of 357 million 802 thousand
dollars.
Last March, the American ASTEC Industries Inc. refused a request sent
in by a Cuban body for the acquisition of equipment for the
rehabilitation of flexible pavements. The answer was based on the
criteria that because of the existence of the embargo regulations,
they could not begin any discussion on the subject.
Last March 20, General Cable Inc., a company selling electrical
materials, indicated that it could not establish commercial relations
with Cuba because it had not been informed about any change in the
trade relations between Cuba and the United States. With that, they
backed up their answer saying that “(…) unfortunately, due to the
international laws established by the US State Department, it is not
allowed to establish commercial relations with Cuba at this time”.
Naval repairs have also been affected by the embargo. Purchases of
materials and the products needed to develop this activity have become
20% more expensive since they now have to be bought in Europe, and
this represents 5.52 million dollars.
The network of national roads has 2,886.3 kilometres in average and
poor condition. To be repaired, we need 327.9 million dollars and
600.0 million dollars to construct the remaining sections of the
National Highway. However, Cuba cannot accede to the funding
authorized by the World Bank, such as the Inter-American Development
Bank, for this kind of infra-structure, bearing in mind that these
bodies are controlled by the US. According to the body’s Web-site,
just between November 2007 and April 2009, the Inter-American
Development Bank authorized funds for infrastructure projects in Latin
American and Caribbean countries for a total of 750 million 930
thousand dollars.
Empresa Alimport is in charge of processing purchases of foods and
medical products from American companies.
4. Opposition to The Genocidal Policy of The Embargo Against Cuba.
In the last few months, international attention to the subject of
bilateral relations between the US and Cuba has increased. Clearly
the demand that the embargo against Cuba be eliminated and that the
policy of hostility cease against a small country is stronger and
firmer than ever before.
Last October 29, for the seventeenth consecutive time, the UN General
Assembly adopted, with the overwhelming majority of member states the
resolution “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” (63/7),
with the highest vote that this resolution has reached in that UN
body.
The General Assembly, with the favourable vote of 185 of its members,
categorically reiterated the call to discontinue this illegal and
genocidal policy being imposed by the government of the United States
on the people of Cuba. That backing by the international community is
consistent with its rejection of the application of economic,
commercial and financial measures with extra-territorial effects and
that are contrary to international law and to the principles of the UN
Charter.
Many voices in the world were raised in favour of ceasing this inhuman
policy. During the period this report is dealing with, numerous
statements were made calling for the end of this policy. Among these,
the most outstanding are:
On May 16, 2008, the declaration of the V Latin America and Caribbean-
European Union Summit held in Lima Peru was adopted. In one of its
paragraphs the Heads of State and Government in both regions agreed to
the following: “(…) We firmly reject all the coercive measures, of a
unilateral dimension and extra-territorial effect that are contrary to
International Law and the norms generally accepted for free trade. We
coincide in the fact that this kind of practice represents a serious
threat to resolution A/RES/62/3 of the UNGA, we reaffirm our well-
known positions about the application of the extra-territorial
regulations of the Helms-Burton Act.”
On October 3, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of the group of
African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP), meeting at their 6th
Summit Conference held in Ghana, approved the Declaration of Accra in
which it “condemned the use of coercive unilateral measures such as
illegal sanctions adopted against certain developing countries with
the purpose of preventing said countries from exercising their right
to determine their political, economic and social system and they
reject the application of laws and unilateral and extra-territorial
measures contrary to international law, such as the Helms-Burton Act.”
On December 8, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of Cuba and of
states making up CARICOM, meeting on the occasion of the Third Cuba-
CARICOM Summit, adopted a declaration where it states that “an end
should be put to the economic, commercial and financial embargo
against the Republic of Cuba and (where it) urges the government of
the United States to listen to the overwhelming call from the immense
majority of the members of the United Nations, and to immediately lift
the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against
the Republic of Cuba and the ceasing of the application of the
measures adopted on May 6, 2004”.
On December 17, 2008, the Heads of State or Government of the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, meeting in Brazil, on
the occasion of the First Latin American and Caribbean Summit on
Integration and Development, adopted a Special Declaration on the
necessity of ending the economic embargo against Cuba in which they
rejected “most energetically the application of laws and measures
contrary to International Law such as the Helms-Burton Act”; “they
urged the government of the United States to end their application “
and “to comply with stipulations in 17 successive resolutions approved
in the UN General Assembly and to end the economic, commercial and
financial embargo which it maintains against Cuba”.
The ALBA countries (the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our
America) have repeatedly and categorically rejected the embargo
imposed against Cuba by the United States. At their summit meeting
held in Cumaná, Venezuela on April 17, 2009, the Heads of State or
Government of the ALBA member countries reiterated their condemnation
of the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the US against
Cuba and they decided to reiterate “the declaration that all the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean adopted on December 16,
2008, on the necessity to end the economic, commercial and financial
embargo imposed by the United States government on Cuba, including
application of the so-called Helms-Burton Act”.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement, on the
occasion of the Ministerial Meeting of the Movement Coordination
Bureau held in Havana, April 27-30, 2009, “reiterated once again their
call on the government of the United States to end the economic,
commercial and financial embargo against Cuba that, besides being
unilateral and contrary to the UN Charter, international law, as well
as the good neighbour principle, causes great material losses and
economic damage to the people of Cuba”. Moreover: “once again they
urged strict compliance with resolutions 47/19, 48/16, 49/9, 50/10,
51/17, 52/10, 53/4, 54/21, 55/20, 56/9, 57/11, 58/7, 59/11, 60/12,
61/11, 62/3 and 63/7 of the United Nations General Assembly”; “they
expressed their profound concern for the growing extra-territorial
dimension of the embargo against Cuba”; and “they rejected the
reinforcement of measures adopted by the US government in order to
toughen the embargo, as well as all the other measures applied by the
US government against the people of Cuba”.
In the declaration of the VI Extraordinary ALBA Summit – Peoples’
Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) held in Maracay, Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela on June 24, 2009, the Heads of State or Government of the
member countries “ratified their absolute condemnation of the
economic, commercial and financial embargo of the United States
against Cuba and they reiterated their call for this to be eliminated,
immediately and unconditionally.”
Opposition to the embargo is also growing significantly in the very
United States.
On May 8, 2008, the Committee for Tourism and Trips of the Alabama
House of Representatives approved a resolution in which they requested
President Bush, the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Congress
to lift the restrictions on trips to Cuba, especially from the state
of Alabama.
On May 27, 2008, The Washington Post published an article “The Crazy
Embargo against Cuba” by Eugene Robinson, in which he described the
policy towards our country as “incredibly stupid (…) childish,
irresponsible and counter-productive.””
From September 23 to 25, 2008, Zogby International and Inter-American
Dialogue carried out a survey of 2,700 US voters about different
subjects that affect Latin America. Regarding Cuba, the survey found
out that around 60% of the people surveyed were in favour of the US
revising its policy towards Cuba and allowing trade between US
companies and that country. Also, 68% supported the idea that all
Americans should be able to travel to Cuba.
On October 17, 2008, the US magazine Science published an editorial,
signed by the Secretary of International Relations of the Academy of
Sciences of Cuba and his peer in the National Academy of Sciences in
the US in which they advocate the lifting of the restrictions to a
bilateral academia exchange.
On October 24, 2008, the representative of the Canadian medical-
pharmaceutical company Cari Med Canada Trading Inc., Alberto
Rodríguez, during his participation at the VIII Central American and
Caribbean Congress for Anaesthesiology, Reanimation and Pain in Havana
expressed that “the permits issued by the US Departments of Commerce
and the Treasury in order to sell products to Cuba are extremely
restricted, with a very high degree of detail”. According to his
declarations, some completely absurd information is requested of the
applicants. Likewise, he described that act of putting up obstacles
for Cuban access to medical equipment and devices needed to save human
lives as “criminal, genocidal and barbarian”.
On December 4, 2008, a group of trade, travel and agriculture-related
organizations and associations sent a letter to President Obama
entitled “Re-examining US policy towards Cuba”; in the letter they
requested him to go further than his campaign promises and carry out a
broader review of American policy. The letter was signed by the
authorized representatives of 12 organizations, among them the US
Agriculture Federation, the American Society of Travel Agents, the US
Chamber of Commerce, the National Foreign Trade Council and USA
Engage. That same day, the US Travel agent association, ASTA, asked
the president-elect, Barack Obama, to eliminate all travel
restrictions to Cuba.
In November 2008, the Group of Studies on Cuba (GEC) and the Brookings
Institution, funded a survey carried out by the International
University of Florida (FIU) during the three weeks following the
presidential election, with the aim of measuring the opinions of Cuban-
Americans about US policy towards Cuba.
The survey revealed that, on the subject of remittances, 65% of the
surveyed people were in favour of a return to the pre-2003 conditions;
66% supported re-establishing trips for Cuba-Americans, while 67%
showed that they were in favour of the elimination of the restrictions
imposed on American citizens. 79% considered that the embargo was not
working and 55% were opposed to the idea that it continues to be
applied. 65% favoured re-establishing diplomatic relations between
the US and Cuba and 79% were of the opinion that both governments
ought to establish a direct dialogue on subjects of mutual interest.
On February 23, 2009, the document titled “Changing the policy towards
Cuba in the national interest of the United States” was released,
drawn up by the office of Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) and circulated
in the Senate plenary and, in particular, to the members of the
Foreign Relations Committee.
After acknowledging the failure of the US policy towards Cuba, the
report presents a series of recommendations. Among these, the
outstanding ones are: replace the conditionality of the US approach by
a a rapprochement or progressive commitment; lift the restrictions on
trips and remittances for Cuba-Americans; and, review the Torricelli
and Helms-Burton Acts, along with the reports of the Commission for
Aid to a Free Cuba. Moreover, it proposed to re-establish bilateral
conversations, establish cooperation strategies in the area of
migration and the war on drugs and to make more flexible the measures
being applied in the economic area.
On February 23, fourteen congressmen signed a letter to President
Obama in which they supported “free trade between Cuba and the US”,
arguing for the economic advantages that could result for both
nations.
As it can be appreciated, in a growing spectrum of US public opinion,
the perception of the need for a basic change in government policy
regarding Cuba is broadened; the lifting of the economic, commercial
and financial embargo would constitute an essential variable.
Conclusions
The conduct of the United States government since October 2008 – when
Resolution 63/7 was adopted – until May 2009, confirms that that
country has not taken one step to put an end to the economic, trade
and financial embargo it imposes on the Republic of Cuba. Quite the
opposite; it has flagrantly not complied with stipulations made by the
General Assembly since reports were made about numerous actions
reinforcing the embargo policy.
The direct economic repercussions on the Cuban people due to the
application of the economic, trade and financial embargo by the US
against Cuba until December 2008, calculated on a conservative basis,
totals 96 billion dollars, a figure that would reach 236,221 million
dollars if calculations were made using the current rate of Exchange
on the US dollar. That figure does not include direct repercussions
on the economic and social goals of the country inflicted by sabotage
and terrorist acts that are encouraged, organized and financed from
the United States.
The economic, trade and financial embargo, imposed by the government
of the United States against Cuba, continues being the prime obstacle
to the economic and social growth of the country, as well as for its
recovery after the passage of three devastating hurricanes that
affected it in 2008.
The embargo violates International Law. It is contrary to the
purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. It constitutes
a transgression on the right to peace, development and security of a
sovereign state. In its essence and its aims, it is an act of
unilateral aggression and a permanent threat against the stability of
a country. It constitutes a flagrant, massive and systematic
violation of the rights of an entire people. It is also in violation
of the constitutional rights of the American people since it denies
them the freedom to travel to Cuba. Moreover, it violates the
sovereign rights of many other states because of its extra-territorial
nature.
In spite of the intense and growing complaints by the international
community to the new US government to effectuate a change of policy
towards Cuba, the lifting of the embargo and the normalization of
bilateral relations, the government of President Obama has maintained
the embargo policy intact.
Besides being illegal, the embargo is morally unsustainable. There is
no like unilateral system of punishments in existence being carried
out against any other country in the world for such an extended period
of time. Therefore, the United States must lift the embargo, with no
more delays or excuses.
******************************************
Reports from Amnesty International
The facts as documented in reports recently released by Amnesty
International (my emphasis):
March 2009
"Amnesty International urges the US government to lift the nearly five-
decade long economic and trade embargo against Cuba as it is
detrimental to the fulfillment of the economic and social rights of
the Cuban people. It OBSTRUCTS AND CONSTRAINS efforts by the Cuban
government to purchase essential medicines, medical equipment and
supplies, food and agricultural products, construction materials and
access to new technologies.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/002/2009/en/e7b1efe4-27f4-4b2c-9a39-23c88749e39e/amr250022009en.html
September 2009
"The US embargo against Cuba is IMMORAL and should be lifted. It’s
preventing millions of Cubans from benefiting from vital medicines and
medical equipment essential for their health."
"Because of the US embargo, Cuba faces SEVERE RESTRICTIONS in
importing medicines, medical equipment or technologies from the USA or
from any US company abroad. The sanctions also limit other imports to
the island and restrict travel and the transfer of money."
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/president-obama-should-take-lead-lifting-embargo-against-cuba-20090902
"Amnesty International calls on the US Congress to take, WITHOUT
FURTHER DELAY, the necessary steps towards lifting the economic,
financial and trade embargo against Cuba...
"The UN General Assembly has repeatedly CONDEMNED the US embargo as
contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
On 29 October 2008 the UN General Assembly passed a resolution
reiterating for the 17th time its call on the USA to end its embargo
against Cuba. That resolution was adopted with 185 votes in favour,
three against and two abstentions. The Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights has also reiterated its position regarding “the impact of
such sanctions on the human rights of the Cuban people and, therefore,
INSISTS THAT THE EMBARGO BE LIFTED.”
“The RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE EMBARGO help to deprive Cuba of vital
access to medicines, new scientific and medical technology, food,
chemical water treatment and electricity.”
"The provision of health care has suffered from the LIMITATIONS AND
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE EMBARGO on the procurement of basic and
specialized medical equipment and chemical components needed for the
production of generic medicines....
"Cuba was UNABLE TO IMPORT nutritional products destined for children
and for consumption at schools, hospitals and day care centres. This
had an adverse effect on the health and nutritional status of the
population.
"Children’s health was also put at risk by a decision from syringe
suppliers to CANCEL an order for 3 million disposable syringes by
UNICEF’s Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization when it became
known that the units were destined for the implementation of the
programme in Cuba.
"The number of children suffering from heart conditions who are
waiting for appropriate treatment at a pediatric hospital has
increased after Cuba was unable to buy from the US-based companies the
necessary medical equipment for their treatment. The companies
allegedly refused to negotiate with Cuba because of the RESTRICTIONS
SET BY THE US EMBARGO.
"LACK OF ACCESS to products manufactured by United States companies
such as St. Jude Medical, Boston Scientific and Amplatzer prevents the
provision of proper care to seriously ill patients who need a
pacemaker, St. Jude prosthetic valves or septal occluders, forcing
their treatment with alternative, riskier surgical techniques.
"It has been IMPOSSIBLE TO PURCHASE a positron emission tomography/
computerized tomography (PET/CT) scanner, a state-of-the-art piece of
medical equipment needed for treatment that is made by only three
manufacturers worldwide, all unauthorized to negotiate with Cuba."
The impact of economic sanctions on health and health services is not
limited to difficulties in the supply of medicine. Health and health
services depend on functioning water and sanitation infrastructure, on
electricity and other functioning equipment such as X-ray facilities
or refrigerators to store vaccines. The financial burden and
commercial barriers have led to shortages or intermittent availability
of drugs, medicines, equipment and spare parts. It has also hindered
the renovation of hospitals, clinics and care centres for the elderly.