Cuba has been able to give life to three highly effective and safe vaccines against COVID 19 despite U.S. blockade

By María Josefina Arce

Cuba has been able to give life to three highly effective and safe vaccines against COVID 19, which have allowed a large part of its population to be currently immunized against a disease that is advancing vertiginously around the world. In addition, they are a hope for the less developed nations in the face of the selfishness of the richer ones.

Our country is distinguished by its humanistic and solidary principles, and in addition to the medical aid provided to other nations in the face of the world health emergency, it is willing to share its drugs to contribute to guarantee the right to life and health of every human being.

But once again the extraterritorial and genocidal nature of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba has been revealed, by preventing the support of the Progressive International to this gesture of sharing vaccines.

Created in May 2020 to unite, organize and mobilize the progressive forces of the world, the organization denounced in the last few days that the Dutch bank ING has complied with the provisions of the U.S. blockade. The financial institution, based in the Netherlands, the Progressive International pointed out, blocked the donations received in its account for the trip to Havana of a delegation that will organize an informative session on the efforts made by the Caribbean state to produce its own vaccines, since Washington's hostile policy imposes numerous obstacles.

A blockade that intensified and is maintained in the midst of a pandemic, ignoring the calls of UN Secretary General António Guterres and other international leaders aimed at eliminating or relaxing coercive measures against several countries in the face of the world health emergency.

Cuba had to face the increase in the cost of materials essential for the development of vaccines, since the usual suppliers refused to supply them for fear of the impact of the siege against their companies.

It also limited the acquisition by Cuban scientific entities of the necessary equipment to advance in the research and production process of Immunos.

It is well known that Cuba's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is affected every year in terms of research, manufacturing and commercialization of its products, as well as academic and scientific exchange is limited.

This criminal measure is an attack not only against the life and well-being of Cubans, but also of other peoples, since, as Progressive International reminds us, most of the inhabitants of the poorest countries on the planet have not even received an injection against the virus.

Hence the importance of the special informative meeting on the coming 25th, promoted by that organization, which will be held live from the Cuban capital, with the participation of leading scientists, government and health officials.

The world will be able to learn details about Cuba's anti-COVID 19 vaccines, which will certainly be applied to the Cuban population, including our children and young people, and the desire of the Caribbean nation to make them available to those who need them.