World will be better without US economic blockade against Cuba: Envoy

Cuba will be better without the US economic blockade against it, and the world, including America, will be better without it too, Cuban Ambassador to India Alejandro Simancas Marin said here on Tuesday and hoped that ''international justice will prevail''.

The embargo against Cuba was imposed in 1960 following the revolution led by Fidel Castro and the nationalisation of properties belonging to US citizens and corporations.

The UN General Assembly will discuss the blockade in a couple of days. ''We know very well that the world will again stand against the blockade, in the coming days. Because standing against the blockade is not only standing with Cuba, it is standing together with international justice, international laws, and it is standing against a criminal and illegal act that has existed for more than 60 years, and it is time to put an end to it,'' Marin said.

The Cuban envoy also spoke of the solidarity of the India government, different Indian organisations and the Indian people which have ''always stood together with Cuba against this criminal policy''.

''We know Cuba will be better without a blockade of course, but the world, including the US, will be better without a blockade. And, we are sure that international justice will prevail and the international solidarity will again play a very important role in the coming days in supporting the UNGA in demanding end of the blockade,'' he said on the sidelines of an interaction hosted by the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) here.

In June 2021, India, along with 183 countries, had voted in favour of a General Assembly resolution that demanded ending the US economic blockade against Cuba, with New Delhi underlining that the continued existence of this embargo undermines multilateralism and the credibility of the UN itself.

During the interaction, he said, Cuba is ''ready for a normal bilateral relationship with the US'', based on ''respect and reciprocity''. ''We hope that justice and common sense from the US side will prevail and they will change the policy (blockade). However, the international solidarity is permanent,'' the envoy said.

On the Indo-Cuban bilateral ties, he said, ''We are working to enhance air connectivity between India and Cuba''.

The physical, geographical distance cannot change, but we can work on different ways to go to Cuba, and making only one stop, taking off from Delhi and arriving in Havana the same day, the envoy said.

''We would like to work government-to-government, but so far, with different institutions and companies that are involved in international transportation,'' he added.

The Cuban ambassador said his country has a ''very good relationship with India'' based on values of cooperation dialogue and friendship.

Both governments share the will to continue and foster the relationship in different ways. ''Also we have a good cooperation in multilateral field, giving a lot of priority to economic and commercial ties. And, we are trying to push cooperation in the fields of health, Ayurveda, Yoga, cultural exchange, education and sports,'' Marin said.

Renewable energy has shown results and it has a good potential, he asserted.

''Also, tourism, we want to prove that distance is not an obstacle between India and Cuba for travel, and we can overcome any geographical obstacle, in order to continue to foster the permanent people-to-people contact, and at the same time develop the cultural relationship,'' he said.

On leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's win in the presidential election of Brazil, Marin said, ''We have congratulated Brazilian people'' and it is a ''step in advancing the integration and peace in the region''.

On the impact of COViD-19 pandemic on the tourism sector in Cuba, he said, ''We have faced two pandemics -- Covid and the blockade. And, closing our country to tourists during the pandemic was like closing the tap of financial flow and the impact was big''.

On the Indian film industry choosing Cuba as a shooting destination, he said, ''We have participated in different festivals, met people from Bollywood and Tollywod. But, we want more (people coming to shoot in Cuba)''.

In the food sector, he said, importing of rice from India to Cuba, in the coming years is to ''increase significantly''.

''And, quantity will be big, over 8-9 tonnes of rice we expect to buy, but over which period, will depend on our need and capacity,'' he said, adding, Basmati rice is getting popular in Cuba.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)