La Paz, Feb 1, (RHC), -- The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed for more than half a century against Cuba by the United States is synonymous with genocide, the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, said on Friday.

During an interview with local media in La Paz, Morales highlighted Latin America and the Caribbean’s support of Cuba against Washington’s sanctions, which he equated with an act of genocide against the Cuban people.

Furthermore, Morales warned that if Washington wanted alliances and agreements with countries of this region, it would be under principles of respect, because we are in a different time, in which empires, blackmail, and looting of natural resources are no longer dominant.

The Bolivian head of state also rejected the criticism of those who accused the leaders attending the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in Havana on Jan 28 and 29, of embracing the ideas of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, and of being antidemocratic.

”The U.S. State Department has no moral authority to talk about democracy, because we know who are the true rulers of that country. It is not President Barack Obama nor the Democrats, nor the Republicans, it is the head bankers and transnationals,” Morales said.

"What kind of democracy has the United States with its violations of individual and collective rights, and use of NATO’s troops and military bases to intervene in countries and foment coups?!" he added.