Published 10 September 2014 by Prensa Latina
The economic blockade that the United States has imposed on Cuba is a true financial war and brutally hinders the country''s socio-economic development, official sources charged.
When presenting a report on the issue on 9 September, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno said that the economic damage caused by that US policy until March 2014 amount, at current prices, to 116.88 billion dollars.
That accounts to 1.112534 trillion dollars if the damage is calculated according to gold prices, said the official when presenting the report, which will be submitted to the approval of the United Nations General Assembly in October.
There has not been more terrifying and vile damage, as not a single sector of social life has escaped from the blockade, Moreno said at the Solidarity with Panama Special School, where children with physical-motor or multiple disabilities study.
Despite the world's growing rejection, the economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba especially affects the sectors with most social impacts, such as healthcare, education, food, sports and culture, he said.
He mentioned that the difficulties to access raw materials, inputs and technologies hinder the development of 22,872 Cuban children with special educational needs.
He also noted that the tourism sector reported losses of 2.053 billion dollars.
Moreno stated that there is a permanent intensification of the persecution of companies and financial institutions in third countries that do business with Cuba.
Of 130 cases of extraterritorial harassment reported over the past four years, 81 involved the field of finance, explained Moreno, who described that harassment as a true financial war against Cuba.
He pointed out that during the current US administration, the fines imposed on those institutions amount to 11.5 billion dollars.
The report "Necessity to Put an End to the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade imposed by the United States of America on Cuba" will be submitted for approval to the 68th session of the UN General Assembly.
On 22 occasions, that international body has overwhelmingly voted in favor of respecting International Law, complying with the Principles and Purposes of the UN Charter and respecting the Cuban people's right to choose their destiny.
You can read the full report in Spanish then English here