The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) today issued an Official Statement regarding the announcement by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of a set of measures to put into effect its announcements of 16 May 2022.

Due to its importance, we transmit in full the text published on the Minrex website:

Cuba es una sola: Declaración del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Cuba is one: Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

On 28 May, the United States government finally announced a set of measures to put into effect its announcements of 16 May 2022. The objective of this step, according to the text published by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), is to favour the private sector in Cuba.

The measures are limited and do not touch the fundamental body of the blockade against Cuba or the additional sanctions that make up the policy of maximum pressure. Once again, the US government’s decision rests on its own distorted vision of the Cuban reality, by artificially separating the private sector from the public sector, when both are part of the Cuban business system and society as a whole.

With this announcement, the U.S. government intends to target only one segment of our population. It does not eliminate or modify the coercive measures that today most affect the Cuban economy and public services, and which severely damage the well-being of our entire population.

If the announced measures are implemented, the United States seeks to put at an advantage the private sector that has been legally established and has grown under the measures taken in a sovereign act by the Cuban government in consultation with the Cuban people. The same has been true for internet access established and expanded by Cuba despite the obstacles of the blockade and restrictions to prevent free access to hundreds of tools and websites.

The US government has been explicit in its intention to use this sector for political purposes against the Revolution, in line with its regime change objectives.

Even if this is a capricious selectivity, both the public and private sectors will continue to suffer the consequences of the blockade and the absurd inclusion of Cuba on the list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism.

The coercive measures that make up the economic blockade will remain in force with cruel effect on the entire Cuban population.

It is clear that the US ratifies its will to punish Cuba’s state sector, knowing that it provides essential services such as education, health, culture, sports and others to all Cubans, including the private sector; and that it is the guarantee of social justice and equity among citizens. For this reason, recent measures were taken by the US government to persecute Cuba’s international medical cooperation and documents have been published that reveal that it is continuing its efforts to deprive us of income and destabilise the country for political purposes of domination.

The Cuban government will study these measures and, if they do not violate national legislation and mean an opening that benefits the Cuban population, even if only a segment of it, it will not hinder their implementation.

28 May 2024.

(Taken from Cubaminrex)