Havana, September 13 (RHC) -- Despite the annual claims of the international community, the U.S. blockade continues today as the greatest obstacle to the development of Cuba and systematically violates the fundamental rights of the Cuban people.

According to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, the Washington's blockade constitutes the most ruthless, comprehensive and prolonged economic war policy ever imposed on any country.

This was denounced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs this Thursday when releasing the report The Need to End the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba, which will be presented in October for approval by the United Nations General Assembly.

The document states that, as a result of this policy, Cuba suffered losses of 5 billion 56.8 million dollars from March 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, which represents an increase of almost 200 million compared to the previous report last year at this time.

In his address before media representatives accredited in Havana, Bruno Rodríguez asserted that the approximate impact is more than 421 million dollars per month, or 13.8 million dollars per day, and pointed out that in six decades, these losses rose to 1 trillion 499 billion dollars.

If such a policy did not exist, the island's Gross Domestic Product could have grown by eight percent during 2023, he stressed.

The foreign minister specified that the arbitrary inclusion of Cuba on the State Department's list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorism deepens the difficulties and significantly affects Cuban families.  Cuba is a victim of terrorism that is organized and financed from United States territory, he denounced.

The minister praised the foreign support for Cuba, evident in the growing calls within American society to end coercive measures and the Caribbean country's link to international terrorism.

Cuba is not alone in confronting this multidimensional siege, Rodríguez recalled, pointing out that since 1992, the international community has ratified the rejection of this policy, reinforced to unprecedented levels during the impact of COVID-19.   (Source: Prensa Latina)