Bridgetown, June 28 (RHC)-- Barbados' ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), David Commissiong, called for a collective response against Washington's attempt to punish countries that accept Cuba's medical collaboration.

"Legislation to that effect presented by U.S. lawmakers constitutes a great slander and a violation of international law," the diplomat said in statements to the Barbados Today newspaper.

The proposal gives the U.S. government powers to which it is not entitled, he said, urging CARICOM to develop a collective response to the initiative.

Commissiong described as "beautiful" the humanitarian program through which Cuba provides critical medical services to suffering people around the world.  He also said that Cuban health professionals and doctors play a decisive role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, he highlighted the work carried out by the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigades in the fight against this disease in Italy and other countries in Europe, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, and recalled the confrontation with Ebola in Western Africa.

The diplomat considered it unforgivable that for narrow partisan political reasons, attempts are made to slander and discredit these professionals by suggesting that they are victims of human trafficking.

With respect to CARICOM, he urged ambassadors in Washington to share with members of both Houses in the U.S. Congress the true nature of the Cuban medical program and the benefits it provides to suffering human beings around the world.

"It would be useful for these diplomats to educate the congressmen about the fact that independent sovereign nations of the Caribbean have the right to establish relations with other independent countries like Cuba," he said.

Similar statements were made last week by Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Jamaica's National People's Party.