Havana, July 16 (RHC)-- The Director General for the United States of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, rejected the persistent attempts by the Donald Trump administration to prevent the island's medical cooperation with countries that are asking for help in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While the U.S. government seems unwilling or unable to protect its own citizens from the scourge of COVID-19, it is finding time and committing resources to threaten countries that are asking for Cuba's medical cooperation in their legitimate fight against the pandemic," he said on Twitter.

In addition to his demands, the island's alternate permanent representative to the United Nations, Ana Silvia Rodríguez, has also been on the same digital platform.  "Access to health is a human right and Cuba contributes to the enjoyment of this right," said the ambassador.

All the Cuban health workers who traveled as part of a mission to fight and control the COVID-19, did so at the express request of the authorities of the countries where they were offering their services, as well as those who already provided medical assistance before the pandemic, said Rodriguez in a message she shared this Thursday on Twitter.

Washington has been developing, almost from the beginning of the pandemic, a campaign against Cuban medical collaboration and is trying to discredit the efforts of the authorities and health professionals of the Caribbean nation in the fight against Covid-19.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused the United States of criminalising the international cooperation provided by the island to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.