Havana, November 17 (RHC)-- Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez says that humanity has sufficient material, financial and technological resources to eradicate poverty, hunger and preventable diseases.  However, he noted that goal cannot be accomplished due to the lack of political will of industrialized nations.

Rodriguez made these remarks Friday at the 26th Ibero-American Summit that took place in the colonial Guatemalan city of Antigua.

The island's top diplomat and head of the Cuban delegation to the Summit conveyed to the representatives of all participating nations the greetings of President Miguel Díaz-Canel, as well as the message of friendship of the people and government of Cuba.

He referred to the unjust international economic and political order that prevents building prosperous, inclusive and sustainable societies, and he assured that the production and consumption patterns of capitalism are irrational and lead, inexorably, to the destruction of the environment. 

Speaking at the high-level segment of the meeting, Cuba's foreign minister recalled that Latin America continues to be the most unequal region on the planet.  "The richest 10% of the population appropriated 71% of the region´s wealth, and it is estimated that in 2017, more than 187 million people lived in poverty and 62 million in conditions of extreme poverty,' he added.

The head of Cuban delegation added that in view of the growing unilateral threats that stem from the reinstatement of the U.S. Monroe Doctrine, the observance of the principles contained in the 'Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace' is fundamental.

Regarding the end of Cuba's participation in Brazil's “More Doctors Program” due to the hostile position of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, Rodriguez thanked -- on behalf of the medical personnel, of the Cuban people and of his government -- the millions of Brazilians who welcomed the Cubans with great affection and are now victims of political manipulation.

After enumerating the multiple difficulties that Cuba is experiencing due to the reinforcement of the United States blockade, Rodríguez emphasized that the Cuban people are advancing freely in the construction of an independent, socialist, democratic, prosperous and sustainable nation.