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Arreaza said unilateral coercive measures imposed on Cuba serve a collective punishment that emanates from "the ego of those who believe they own the world."
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Thursday that his country, as a responsible member of the United Nations, will vote in favor of the resolution that demands an end to the economic and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba.
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The Venezuelan foreign minister stressed that "we are here to accompany Cuba at a time when the U.S. government has hardened the criminal blockade against the nation."
Arreaza said unilateral coercive measures imposed on Cuba serve a collective punishment that emanates from the ego of those who believe they own the world.
"Only non-civilized, quasi-primitive ruling elites can use economic asphyxiation as a weapon of mass destruction to impose their political preferences on sovereign countries."
Since coming to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has been imposing harsh economic sanctions against what his government deems as "threats", including Venezuela, Cuba and Iran. Oil sanctions against venezuela have caused a serious drop in oil exports, which in turn has impeded the government's ability to import food and medicine.
A report by CEPR earlier this year showed that at least 40,000 Venezuelans have died as a result of food and medicine shortages caused by U.S. sanctions against the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro.
The sanctions have also seen oil exports to Cuba drop, causing energy and fuel shortages in the country.
At the U.N., Representatives of many other countries around the world also spoke in support of the resolution lifting the U.S. blockade against Cuba.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez also spoke Thursday at the U.N.'s session slamming the United States over its decades-long blockade against the socialist government of Cuba.
"The purpose of the administration of President Donald Trump, besides damaging Cuba’s economy, is to harm the living standards of Cuban families," Rodríguez told the U.N. General Assembly. "The persecution of our banking and financial relations with the rest of the world has continued to intensify. Remittances sent to Cuban citizens were restricted. The granting of visas was reduced. Consular services were limited."
He pointed out to the U.S.' own record on human rights when it comes to minorities and women, while also slamming the United States' rights violations around the world as part of its brutal military interventions.
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