Speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla at the II Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Ibero-American Conference, held by videoconference, 4/15/21
Her Excellency Maria Ubach Font: I express to you my fraternal wishes for a speedy recovery.
Your Excellencies Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations.
Her Excellency Rebeca Grynspan.
We congratulate the Principality of Andorra for the multiple initiatives developed in its capacity as Pro Tempore Secretariat, which have allowed the Ibero-American Conference to maintain its activism as a space for cooperation, in the exceptional circumstances caused by COVID-19. We recognize your effort to preserve consensus as an essential concept and rule of the Ibero-American Summit.
We assure our traditional support to the sister Dominican Republic in the exercise of her presidency.
We thank the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan, for her dedication and commitment in these almost 8 years leading the work of SEGIB.
Dear colleagues:
The main obstacles to innovation and development for our nations are perpetuated as a result of an unjust and undemocratic international order, exacerbated today by the multiple and devastating effects of the pandemic in all spheres. Added to this are the irrational and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and the savage empire of the market; the impact of unconventional conflicts and wars; the deepening of the foreign debt already paid several times and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, which multiply the hardships and difficulties in the countries of the South.
The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government against Cuba is illegal, immoral, extraterritorial and a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of human rights. Its opportunistic upsurge in conditions of the Covid 19 pandemic, subjects Cuban families to deficiencies, deprivations and suffering, which makes it even more evident that it is an act of genocide according to the 1948 Geneva Convention. It is the greatest impediment for the Cuban people exercise their right to development.
Despite the damage caused by this unilateral policy, Cuba has maintained its firm conviction to build a sovereign, independent, socialist, democratic, prosperous and sustainable nation. This endeavor demands innovation and scientific research, and has a decisive place in our National Development Plan.
Having a quality, free and universal public health system, together with scientific-technical development and the biopharmaceutical industry, has allowed us to face the pandemic with positive results. We are modestly proud to have five vaccine candidates today, two of them in phase III clinical trials.
With the dispatch of 57 medical brigades, we have contributed to the efforts of 40 countries and territories in confronting the pandemic, which joined others that were already present in 59 nations. With equal determination, we will continue our humanitarian cooperation.
Cuba reaffirms the need to work to achieve prompt universal immunization, as well as to ensure prompt, equitable, supportive and affordable distribution of vaccines and medical supplies and equipment that allow everyone to be protected. The wild and exclusive neoliberalism in the approach to the production and acquisition of vaccines must cease.
We join the call to eliminate the obstacles that hinder the access and distribution of vaccines, including any unilateral coercive measure that prevents, limits or makes access to them more expensive.
I must point out that Cuba will continue to give its contribution to the confrontation of the pandemic, I have also committed to the purposes and objectives of the Ibero-American Summit.
Thank you
