BRASILIA (Reuters) – In his first trip to Cuba during his third term in office, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the sanctions imposed by the United States on the island were “unjust against the law” and condemned the island’s inclusion in the list of state sponsors. terrorism.
The former President of the United States, Donald Trump, included the island nation in the list of American states that support terrorism, and although the Biden administration has changed other measures of the Trump-era, so far Cuba has not been removed from the list.
“Cuba is an advocate of just governance throughout the world. And until now it is suffering from an illegal economic crisis,” said Lula in a speech that opened the G77 Summit of developing countries in the capital, Havana. “Brazil opposes any single act of violence. We reject the inclusion of Cuba in the list of states that support terrorism.”
The statements were made a few hours before Lula left for New York, where he will attend the General Assembly of the United Nations and hold talks with Biden.
At first, Cuba expressed concerns over the name and government of Washington Cold War during the economic period against the island controlled by the Communist Party of Cuba. The 27-member European Union, the country’s top trading partner, has also rejected the offer. Cuba and its critics say economic sanctions block and prevent access to food, medicine and other essential development goods.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lula’s speech.
The Biden administration previously stated that the US law includes exemptions and authorizations for the export of food, medicine, and other humanitarian items to the island.
During the General Assembly, Brazil is expected to return to its prominent position of condemning the embargo on Cuba, one of the motions that are usually voted on every year at the United Nations and more likely to be passed. In 2019, in the first year of the right-wing Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil voted against the joint motion with the United States and Israel.
Lula also used his speech to call again for the investments promised by developing countries to reduce the effects of climate change, as recorded in the Paris agreement, but not implemented. According to the president, the “historical debt” of developing countries and rich people for global warming is not the same.
“The principle of common but different responsibilities remains valid. That is the reason why it is necessary to justify the money of the climate, according to their needs and priorities,” he said. this.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
