Speaking at the 28th plenary session of the General Assembly, at the beginning of debates on the Resolution entitled “Necessity to End the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States against Cuba,” the Panamanian representative at the UN, Eloy Alfaro, condemned that Washington’s hostile policy has harmed the Cuban people for more than six decades.

The diplomat recalled that at the UN, year after year, for more than three decades, this project has received almost unanimous support from the international community, “and today, once again, Panama reaffirms its strong conviction in the importance of lifting these restrictive measures,” he stressed.

Lloyd insisted that the US blockade against Cuba is an unsustainable barrier to the development and economic opportunities of the Cuban people.

He also referred to the damage caused from March 2023 to February 2024, a period in which the rigorous implementation of these measures has continued and especially impacted sectors such as health care, education and food production, which are essential for the well-being of the population, he added.

In this regard, he indicated that Panama respects the reestablishment of sincere dialogue without preconditions between the United States and Cuba, to move towards the normalization of relations.

He added that unilateral coercive sanctions affect the transparent practice of international trade, and advocated for mutual respect and the peaceful resolution of disputes, axes of foreign policy.

Dozens of representatives from the UN member states will take the floor of the plenary hall on Tuesday, where so many voices have rejected the enforcement of this policy of economic, commercial and financial suffocation.

On Wednesday, the forum of 193 countries will vote on Cuba’s draft resolution, which estimates losses worth 5,056.8 million dollars as a result of the blockade, between March 2023 and February 29, 2024.

jg/arc/ga