U.S. Blockade Prevents Swiss Aid to Cuba

Swiss solidarity groups on April 22 denounced the blockade of aid to Cuba. The medical supplies and other resources were intended for Cuban COVID-19 patients, as the Caribbean island is in need of this aid.

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"The U.S. blockade has imposed an enormous burden on the country's health system, while also endangering the lives of many Cubans," affirmed MediCuba Switzerland and Switzerland-Cuba representatives in a communication. 

According to the statement, Swedish banks interrupted the transactions to Cuba due to the U.S. restrictive policies. Therefore, Cuba cannot receive vital provisions to face the pandemic with ventilators, food, fuel, and medical equipment. 

Medi-Cuba and Switzerland -Cuba Association also condemned the refusal of Swiss-based firms to sell essential medical devices to Cuba. 

"Invoking the trade, financial and economic sanctions of the United States, the companies IMT Medical AG and Acutronic Medical Systems AG, denied the request for ventilators that the Cuban import-export company Medicuba S.A. had made", organizations stated.

U.S. corporation Vyaire Medical Inc. acquired both companies. After the transaction, IMT Medical AG and Acutronic Medical Systems AG suspended all trade relations with Cuba. 

The solidarity groups qualify U.S. blockade against the Caribbean Island as a criminal due to sanctions during the pandemic. 

"We demand that Switzerland, by its humanitarian and diplomatic tradition, take measures so that Cuba can acquire from the usual Swiss suppliers the necessary equipment to combat the COVID-19, on the one hand; and on the other hand, that Swiss banks do not prevent the generous donations of Swiss citizens to our associations. In more general terms, we demand that Switzerland is not complicit in this illegal and criminal U.S. policy," added the Swiss entities in their statement.