Havana, April 11 (RHC)—President Miguel Diaz Canel recalled on Friday that Cuba is a country unjustly and cruelly punished by a 60-year blockade, which has not been alleviated amid the current crisis, nor the economic war and financial persecution has been eased.

Addressing on Friday the COVID-19 update meeting held daily by the island's central government, he said that instead, the United States is ramping up actions to discredit and isolate the Cuban Revolution.

"The latest slander is that Cuba is involved in drug-trafficking, an additional lie supported by US lackeys," he said, adding the Empire is multiplying its ingenuity and resources to harass a people who devote its efforts and strengths to fight a global pandemic and to share its professionals and expertise with other nations.

Diaz Canel said that every action of our doctors, of our scientists, of our people to confront the COVID-19 epidemic, to scare away death, is a monument to Fidel, to his visionary humanitarian work and to his faith that the best of the human being prevails when encouraged, recognized and stimulated.

"If we have been able to face all these things today, it is because of the work of the Revolution," stressed the head of state.

"This health system, this science system, this organized people, those measures that we can take by counting on everyone and mobilizing everyone, and that we are all working for the same thing, can be done in a Revolution like this one, founded by Fidel, by the historical generation, led at this time by Army General Raul Castro Ruz," the President said.