Cuban regime ‘stable’ despite U.S. sanctions: Global Affairs

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Cuba‘s ambassador to Canada said the United States is trying to overthrow his country’s communist regime, but Global Affairs said the government is “quite stable”

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Ambassador Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz addressed a House of Commons foreign affairs committee Tuesday in Ottawa, saying the “collective punishment of a whole nation is an unjustifiable crime,” in response to an oil blockade placed on Cuba by the U.S.

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“One may disagree with the country’s political project, but there is no right whatsoever that justifies a great power … attempting to achieve its objectives by suffocating an entire people,” Malmierca Diaz told Canadian lawmakers.

Officials close to U.S. President Donald Trump have said he believes the blockade could put pressure on the communist regime to the point that it topples.

U.S. trying to create ‘humanitarian crisis:’ Envoy

Malmierca Diaz said Washington is taking further steps to “exercise military control over the traffic of vessels arriving in Cuba.” News outlets have reported oil ships being followed by the Americans when they approach the island.

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Malmierca Diaz told officials the shortages are preventing thousands of kidney dialysis patients from getting care and are keeping food from reaching various regions.

“Without energy, every aspect of life in a country is affected — food distribution, public health, transportation, education,” he said. “The objective of this oil blockade is clear: To create a humanitarian crisis and try to force regime change through it.”

Mark Richardson, a senior Global Affairs Canada official overseeing Caribbean policy, said Cuba’s communist government is not likely to fall.

“Despite the lack of fuel being imported due to the U.S. measures in particular, what I can say is that the Cuban government appears to be quite stable,” he said. “It has developed itself through all areas of the economy and society in Cuba and shows no indication of being unstable at this time.”

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Calls for action

Mexico has sent shipments of food and medicine to Cuba and the Bloc Quebecois and NDP are calling on Ottawa to do so as well.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said this week that Ottawa was planning to assist Cuba, but wouldn’t specify what they would do.

“I will have an announcement in the coming days,” she said Tuesday, again declining to hint at the type of aid.

Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said earlier this month that Ottawa was working on a relief plan.

Cuba has been desperate for oil since shipments in Venezuela were halted after the U.S. removed the South American country’s leader. Mexico stopped oil shipments after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba. The country also experience shortages and blackouts due to intensifying U.S. sanctions.

Cuba’s allies, including Russia and China, have condemned the U.S. for the moves, though they haven’t done much for Cuba beyond that. Because it produces only 40% of the fuel it needs, blockades have a major impact on the country.

Air Canada and others have cancelled flights to Cuba due to a shortage of aviation fuel.

— With files from the Canadian Press.

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