Havana, July 7 (RHC)-- Cuban President Raul Castro affirmed that updating the country’s social and economic model for a prosperous and self-sustainable socialist system keeps advancing, progressively, with no rush but with no pause.

In his speech at the 3rd Session of the Cuban Parliament on July 5th, Raul Castro underlined the progressive pace of the transformations underway in the country by saying “it is quite complex though it keeps advancing.”

The Cuban president also stressed the need to train state and government officials, executives and Communist Party members as well as people in general to successfully face the realities of the current social and economic update, saying: “It is a serious task we must understand, and consider its reach with the wisdom needed to advance these programs, that is why we say no hurry but no pause.”

The Cuban head of state said that despite growing international rejection, Washington maintains its economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba in open violation of the UN Charter.

The measure has been unprecedentedly reinforced by harassing commercial and banking institutions that have had relations with Cuba and with aggressive extraterritorial character, said Raul Castro as he cited the most recent over-8.9-billion-dollar fine imposed on French BNP Paribas bank.

The Cuban president also noted that the Cuban Interests Section in Washington was deprived of its banking services, with its negative impact on Cubans living in the U.S. and making it difficult for family relations through trips to Cuba.

The United States has not renounced its subversive plans against Cuba with the use of covert actions and the new information and communication technologies, as evidenced by the “Zunzuneo” twitter program, which is a violation of Cuban sovereignty and international law.

Raul said: "It is time for the United States to understand that these policies are condemned to failure and that they must respect the will and right of the Cuban people to build a future of peace."