Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Paria has called on EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Callas to be guided by international law in her statements on the Caribbean republic, accusing her of double standards and lack of objectivity.
“The High Representative, as the representative of the European Union's foreign and security policy, is expected to be guided by the principles of defending international law and peace promoted by the European bloc, and to adopt a position consistent with these principles in her remarks on Cuba“, the minister wrote in X. “The failure to recognize that the illegal, cruel and unjust collective punishment imposed on the Cuban people by the US government, with the unprecedented intensification of the blockade, the oil embargo and the threat of war, is the root cause of the difficult situation that Cubans find themselves in today, lacks objectivity and demonstrates clear double standards.“
Rodríguez Paria noted that Callas “has also not expressed concern or support for the numerous European companies and citizens threatened and harmed by the latest US measures, which are clearly extraterritorial and illegal in nature“. “The sovereign and profound transformations that have taken place in Cuba in recent decades, with broad public consensus, are part of our internal policy“, the Cuban Foreign Minister stressed. He also noted that Cuba “highly appreciates the humanitarian assistance provided by the EU and several EU Member States in this and other situations, as well as their contribution to the development of existing bilateral cooperation“. “Cuba will continue to develop its relations with the EU based on the principles [embedded in the bilateral cooperation agreement]“, the minister assured. “We hope that the EU's foreign policy, in the difficult circumstances that the world is experiencing, where attempts are being made to impose the use of force and imperialist domination, will express independence and traditional European and multilateral values, as demanded by [EU] citizens.“
Callas, who was on a visit to Mexico late last week, in her statements to the press blamed the current difficult situation in Cuba on the policies of the authorities of the Caribbean republic.
Regarding the situation in Cuba
The Cuban authorities point to the commercial, economic and financial embargo imposed by Washington on the Island of Liberty for over 60 years as the main reason for the difficult economic situation in the Caribbean republic, mainly in the energy sector. The situation in Cuba has deteriorated sharply since the beginning of this year, after the US administration announced measures aimed at a complete blockade of fuel supplies to the island at the end of January. In early May, these measures were reinforced with a new executive order from Washington imposing secondary sanctions in the energy sector against countries intending to supply fuel to the Caribbean republic. Power outages in Cuba usually last more than 15 hours, with only brief interruptions when power is restored. The republic is experiencing serious shortages of gasoline and diesel fuel.