Cuba suffering billions in damages from US blockade: FM

By Neysi Hernandez

HAVANA (AA) – The U.S. economic blockade of Cuba has cost the Caribbean island an estimated $4.7 billion in damages between April 2015 and March 2016, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Friday.

“We acknowledge the progress of relations between the governments of Cuba and the United States but affectations include food, biopharmaceutical industry, foreign trade and international cooperation among others,” he said at a news conference in which he presented an update to an annual report on UN General Assembly Resolution 70/05 that calls for an end to the embargo.

U.S. President Barack Obama has eased restrictions on travel to Cuba but the ban on Americans traveling to the island continues and that is undoubtedly a violation of civil rights and liberties, according to Rodriguez.

He said nearly six decades of sanctions have amounted to $754 billion in damages. "Would not it better the situation of our economy without all these affectations," he asked.

"Despite months after the visit of President Obama to Havana, when he declared that Cuba could soon use the U.S. dollar in international transactions, this remains negative," according to Rodriguez, who said he feels more support from the American people to eliminate the hostile policy.

It is necessary, however, that the U.S. Congress listen to their constituents, he said, adding that the measures enacted thus far by the White House have shown their limited scope and how much the U.S. president can do to substantially modify the blockade using his executive prerogatives.

The UN General Assembly voted last October 191-2 in favor of ending the blockade. The two dissenting votes were the U.S. and Israel.

It was the 24th consecutive year the body supported resolution 70/05 from Cuba.

After Fidel Castro's rebels came to power in Cuba in 1959, the United States initially imposed sanctions the following year before instituting a full embargo in 1961.