Donald Ramotar
The UN vote on the resolution by Cuba calling for the US to end the blockade against that island is deeply revealing.
While seven Caribbean Community countries voted to end the criminal blockade, three abstained, three were absent, and one voted against.
This is a huge change. Since 1992 Cuba has brought this resolution forward with the solid support of Caricom countries. What has changed?
Inside Cuba, the situation has got far worse. The pressures caused by the criminal and illegal blockade have increased. Even fuel is sanctioned now.
This is causing great suffering in the Cuban population.
Thousands of people are dying because hospitals, which were already resource-constrained, are becoming dysfunctional. Infant mortality has jumped.
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People with cancer, heart ailments and other critical conditions are dying because they cannot be operated on or treated properly.
Older people and children are dying from heat due to the inhumane fuel sabotage.
Yet in countries of the Caribbean, often with the same parties in government, several have changed their positions. As stated above, one even voted against the resolution and six others either abstained or did not show up for the vote.
Clearly these countries succumbed to US pressure.
This was revealed in the case of Jamaica. The day before the vote, the minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Alando Terrelonge, made a speech in which he forcefully presented a strong case to support Cuba and demand that the US end the blockade.
Yet, lo and behold, the next day at the UN General Assembly, Jamaica abstained.
This gives an idea of the kind of pressures Caribbean countries have come under.
For those countries that abstained, stayed away and voted against the resolution, I wonder if they have reflected on what the consequences of their actions could be. Objectively, they have joined with the US to starve and punish the Cuban people.
Second, they have, by their actions, emboldened the US to do as it pleases: that is, to invade countries, kidnap people including heads of states and governments and to continue with the extrajudicial killings that are taking place in our region.
Now that those countries have shown themselves to be susceptible to pressure, will they join the US in its campaign against the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court? Will they now support the genocide in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem? Already, they are dead quiet on these issues.
The voting at the UN is deeply concerning because it has divided Caricom. A divided Caricom is a weakened Caricom, and that certainly does not serve the interest of the Caribbean working people.
To those countries that stood up and voted with Cuba, I salute you, for you are on the correct side of history.
It is time for the Caribbean people to demand an end to this apparent surrender. – Globetrotter
Donald Ramotar is a former president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana (2011-15).
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
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