Castro Demands End of Blockade at Non-Aligned Movement Meeting

The conference of heads of state and government is taking place on Saturday at the the 17th Non-Aligned Movement Summit, in Venezuela’s Margarita Island.

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Non-Aligned Movement

Leaders and representatives from more than 120 countries will debate key issues such as the need for world peace, increase international cooperation and defend the democratic international organizations, which will be included in the final document of the summit on Sunday, the so-called Declaration of Margarita.

Among the first heads of state to speak during the summit, were the presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia and Cuba, who defended the sovereignty of Venezuela during the current economic crisis, reiterated their support for Palestine in the face of attacks from Israel, and denounced the fact that the U.S. continues its economic blockade against Cuba.

Cuban President Raul Castro demanded the end of the blockade in his speech on Saturday, and for the U.S. to return the territory it occupies at Guantanamo Bay.

"Cuba won't renounce to any of its principles, it won't give in from its revolutionary and anti-imperialist ideals," said Castro.

 

In the Declaration of Margarita, members of the non-aligned countries will commit to promote and defend peace across the world, one of the fundamental principles of the movement.

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With the slogan "United on the Path for Peace,” the summit has ratified the defense on the right of the people to fight for peace and sovereignty,

The heads of state and government meeting will be headed by the President of the of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, who will take from Iran the rotatory chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement for the next three years.

Maduro has said he will propose a transformation of the Non-Aligned Movement into an international organization that defiantly says "no" to the new colonialism.