Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla . Autor: ACN Publicado: 03/10/2019 | 10:35 am
Summary:Cuba’sforeignministersays he believesimprovements in relationswiththeUnitedStates are irreversible despitetheTrumpadministration’shardening of the embargo ontheisland. ForeignMinister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla toldTheAssociatedPressTuesdaythatwhilethe U.S. administration has cut off mostcommunicationwith Cuba and istryingtopressurethecommunistgovernmentbyrestrictingtheflow of oil, progressmadeunderformer U.S. President Barack Obama has notbeenundone.
Cuba’sforeignministersaidTuesdaythat he believesimprovements in relationswiththeUnitedStates are irreversible despitetheTrumpadministration’shardening of the embargo ontheisland.
ForeignMinister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla toldTheAssociatedPressthatwhilethe U.S. administration has cut off mostcommunicationwith Cuba and istryingtopressurethecommunistgovernmentbyrestrictingtheflow of oil, progressmadeunderformer U.S. President Barack Obama has notbeenundone.
“I would describe myself as veryoptimistic,” Rodríguez said. “There’s a historicaltrendthat’s irreversible.”
He saidrelationsbetweenthetwocountrieswouldneverreturntothewaytheywerebeforeDecember 2014, when Obama and then-Cuban PresidentRaul Castro declaredthattheywouldreestablishdiplomaticrelations.
“Therehavebeenlevels of communication and mutual familiaritybetweenthepeoples of bothcountriesthat are irreversible,” Rodríguez said.
He said Cuba waspreparedfor a worsening of tensionsduringthepresidentialcampaignseasonbecausetheTrumpadministrationbelievesthat Cuban Americans in South Florida support a hard line ontheisland.
He calledthatan “erroneouspoliticalcalculation.”
“I believeit has beenproventhatthemajority of Cubans in Florida supporttheprogressachieved in thenormalization of relations and the lifting of theblockade, and theyoungerthey are, the more theysupportit,” Rodríguez said. “In anyevent, politicalmoments are ephemeral. Wehavethepoliticalwilltoadvancewithoutdelay.”
He alsosays Cuba isfindingwaystobuyoildespite U.S. attemptsto stop itbyimposingsanctionsonshippingfirms and threateningthirdcountries, insurancefirms and others as a way of retaliationforhelping Cuba obtainpetroleum. TheTrumpadministrationsaysitistryingtoforce Cuba to stop supportingPresidentNicolas Maduro, whomthe U.S. saysreceivesmilitary and intelligencehelpfrom Cuba.
Oilshortagesledtocutbacks in government fuel consumption and distributionlastmonth, resulting in longlines at gas stations and reductions in publictransport.
“We’veincreasedourabilitytotransport (oil). ThewaytheworldworkstodaymakesitimpossiblefortheUnitedStatestoimpedethearrival of oiltankers in Cuba,” Rodríguez said.
The Cuban foreignministerflatlydeniedthathis country wasprovidinganymilitary, securityorintelligencehelpto Venezuela, contradictingPresident Donald Trump’s Sept. 24 accusationbeforethe U.N. General Assemblythat “Maduro is a Cuban puppetprotectedby Cuban bodyguards.”
“Wedon’thave a militarypresence in Venezuela. Wedon’tparticipateorassistmilitary, securityorintelligenceoperations,” Rodríguez said. “Therelationshipbetween Cuba and Venezuela is a pretext ...they’reattackingthesuccessful (Cuban) politicalmodel, whichworks, whichis a successfuleconomic and social model, becauseit’ has withstoodsixdecadesdespitethe (U.S.) blockade.”
