Cuba Reiterates Determination to Defend Interests of the South

Cuban president Raul Castro reiterated today the solidarity of his country with the governments of Venezuela, Argentina and Ecuador, in the face of different actions and highlighted the achievements of the dialogue in the Colombian peace process. The solidarity in Our America will be decisive to make common interests go forward, pointed the Cuban president in his speech before the Third Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), inaugurated this Wednesday in the locality of Belen, near this capital.

The head of State condemned as unacceptable and unjustified the unilateral sanctions imponed on Venezuela and the continuation of the foreign intervention aimed at creating a climate of unstability in that South American nation.

He also stressed Cuban support to the claim by Argentina of her sovereignty over Falkland Islands, South Georgias and South Sándwich and other surrounding sea spaces.

He equally expressed the support of the bigger of the Antilles to Ecuador on its demand against transnational Chevron and reiterated that the Latin American and Caribbean community of nations will be incomplete without Puerto Rico. .

Raúl Castro highlighted the significance of the agreements reached by the Colombian government reached by the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces-Army of the People at the negotiating table installed in the Cuban capital.

Never had they advanced so much toward the goal of peace in Colombia. Cuba, in its warrantor condition and venue to the talks, will keep on providing the necessary facilities and contributing however possible to end the conflict and reaching a lasting peace, he added.

Regarding the Caribbean, the Cuban president insisted in the claim of these countries of a reparation for the damages suffered from slavery and colonialism and denounced the decision to deprive them of essential financial resources with technocratic criteria pretending to consider them as states of medium income.

The Cuban president also recalled the African roots of the Caribbean peoples, whose countries do not need counseling or interference, but a just treatment and transference of financial and technological resources.

On the other hand, he expressed Cuba´s worry before the enormous and increasing military expenses imposed to the world by the United States and NATO and the attempt of that organization to increase their presence in the borders of Russia, as well as its condemnation to the unilateral sanctions against Moscow.

For Cuba, the principles of sovereign equality of nations and the self-determination of peoples are non negotiable, he stressed, and criticized the double standards, excesses and omissions of the Security Council of the United Nations.

In that sense, he called the General Assembly of the UN to use its faculties to preserve peace and international security, and demanded the elimination of veto power in the Security Council aimed at guaranteeing impunity to the crimes of Israel and demanded full membership for Palestine at the world organization.

The voice of Cuba will defend unswervingly the just causes and the interests of the countries of the South, being loyal to its objectives and positions, knowing that Homeland is Humanity. The Cuban foreign policy will keep being loyal to its principles.