Cuba Rejects U.S. Military Deployment In The Caribbean Sea, Seeks UNGA Intervention

Cuba has rejected the current deployment of United States military forces in the Caribbean Sea.

Cuba has also requested that the United States be compelled at the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to lift the longstanding blockade imposed against the island.

Hon. Fernando Gonzalez Llort, a member of the National Assembly of the People’s Power of Cuba (ANPP), President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP), and Hero of the Republic of Cuba, made the call in Abuja.

Gonzalez Llort, who led a delegation from the institute to Nigeria to commemorate the centenary of Cuba’s revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, stated that the deployment represents a violation of the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.

He said, “We strongly reject the current deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean Sea. This dangerous act represents a serious threat and an aggressive show of force that violates the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean. It also disregards the commitment of the 33 member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to proclaim the region as a Zone of Peace.”

Regarding the economic blockade, the parliamentarian emphasised, “It is essential to continue demanding the total, unconditional, and immediate lifting of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government against Cuba.”

He also called for the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, stating, “We must renew efforts to achieve the removal of Cuba from the list of nations falsely accused of sponsoring terrorism.”

He added, “Similarly, it is a priority to dismantle the attacks on the international medical collaboration that Cuba provides to other nations. This solidarity work reflects the altruistic spirit of the Revolution and has saved lives, restored health, and renewed hope for millions of people in beneficiary countries. Its defence is not only an act of justice but also a commitment to preserving essential humanitarian programs.”

“As Nelson Mandela said, ‘Cuba is an inspiration for all freedom-loving peoples,’ and that inspiration has a name: Fidel.”

He reaffirmed, “Cuba stands in unwavering solidarity with the Sahrawi people and supports the search for a definitive resolution to the question of Western Sahara, allowing them to exercise their right to self-determination and live peacefully in their territory.”

“Today, as we remember Fidel, let us renew our commitment to his principles. May Africa, Latin America, and all just peoples of the world continue to raise their banners of struggle, because ‘a better world is possible.’”

Former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Movement of Solidarity with Cuba, described Fidel Castro as one of the most outstanding leaders in contemporary history.

He stated, “Fidel was simply a humanist who sought to make the world a better place and strived to do so by his personal example. Under his leadership, he transformed Cuba into a medical superpower that, since the 1960s, has dispatched over 10,000 Cuban doctors, nurses, and medical personnel worldwide, caring for approximately four million people. The Cuban medical system is so effective that during the COVID-19 pandemic, while various countries closed their borders, Cuba not only kept its borders open to those in need but also sent medical teams to various countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, and Africa.”

Aregbesola continued, “We Africans particularly remember Cuba as the only country that, during our most trying times—when Apartheid South Africa invaded Angola and threatened to overrun African countries—sent soldiers to our defence. The Cubans’ defeat of the seemingly invincible Apartheid forces was so decisive that on December 22, 1988, Apartheid South Africa signed a peace treaty committing to the independence of Namibia and South Africa.”

“As we celebrate the commencement of the Fidel Centenary, we honour not only Commandante Fidel but also Ernesto Che Guevara, who fought in Africa in defence of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo against neo-colonialism and died under Bolivian skies fighting for the poor and the oppressed. We also remember the over 5,000 Cuban youths who laid down their lives under African skies for the continent to gain full liberation.”

He stated that the United Nations General Assembly should demand that the United States end its 63-year economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba.