THE economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba generates hardships and punishes families on the Caribbean island; and on October 31, 2018, the General Assembly of the UN will vote for a new draft resolution on the need to end the blockade.

This is according to President of the Guyana-Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM) Halim Khan, who noted that numerous denunciations arise inside and outside Cuba to demand the end of that Washington policy.

Khan said that the aggressive application of the blockade violates the sovereignty and interests of all countries.

Adding that the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States is the main impediment to economic progress of the country, Khan said the annual report of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the damage caused to Cuba is catastrophic.

“The extra-territorial scope of this unilateral measure, which has brought economic damage to the people amounting to $933.6 million USD, taking into account the depreciation of the dollar against the value of gold on the international market, is also on the list,” Khan said.

He explained that Cuba continues to be unable to export and freely import products and services to or from the United States. Additionally, the island cannot have direct banking relations with that country or receive U.S. investments in other sectors of the economy, with the exception of telecommunications.

The GCSM President said that the unilateral policy is the most widespread and prolonged system of economic sanctions that has ever been applied against any country.

“We need to have the resolutions adopted by the international community at the UN General Assembly respected. By an overwhelming majority, the UNGA member states ask for that absurd policy to be put to an end, along with respect for international law and the fulfilment of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, Khan said. “Therefore, we invite the senators and representatives of the United States to take a historic step on the side of ethics, justice, freedom and peace, in voting to lift the blockade against Cuba, for the benefit of both peoples.”