This was highlighted by the Cuban Vice President, while speaking at the IV CELAC-EU Summit.

–Cuba aspires for the IV CELAC-European Union Summit, which began this Sunday in the Colombian city of Santa Marta, to contribute to consolidating a more solid bi-regional relationship, oriented towards inclusive development and cooperation, expressed the member of the Political Bureau and Vice President of the Republic of Cuba, Salvador Valdés Mesa, while speaking at the plenary session of the grand meeting.

With an allusion to the significance of the figure of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, who died in this city of Santa Marta, the Cuban Vice President began his words.

We cannot ignore in this momentous meeting, asserted the Deputy Head of State, the irrational onslaught of the United States Government against Venezuela, and the ongoing deployment of an offensive US military operation in the Caribbean, under the false pretext of the fight against drug trafficking.

The international community, he expressed, must mobilise to stop this direct aggression and the military actions in the Caribbean, which endanger peace, stability and regional security.

We also support, said Valdés Mesa, our Colombian and Mexican brothers who, like everyone, are also victims of this threat.

The Cuban Vice President also denounced the brutal genocide perpetrated by Israel in Gaza, which has plunged the Palestinian people into an alarming humanitarian crisis.

He estimated that a more solidary and collaborative approach between the countries of the European Union and CELAC will allow translating political will into tangible commitments and better addressing global challenges.

Likewise, he thanked the dignified, brave and principled attitude of the majority of the countries present here who, despite the enormous pressures they were subjected to, demandingly called at the United Nations for an end to the blockade imposed by the United States Government against Cuba, and the arbitrary decision to once again include the largest of the Antilles in the unilateral list of countries supposedly sponsoring terrorism.