Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Gullien; Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Viet Thao, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association co-chair the event held virtually on June 23. (Photo courtesy of the Cuban Embassy to Vietnam)The relationship remains a role model one that has become an invaluable legacy of thetwo Parties, States and peoples, Thao said while co-chairing an exchangeprogramme that was held online and linked to 30 sites in Vietnam and Cuba. The event took place on the day when Cuba submitted adraft resolution against the US blockade to the United Nations.
Vietnamese people have always opposed the unilateralblockade imposed by the US, he said.
Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Orlando Nicolas HernandezGullien, who co-chaired the programme, briefed the participants on losses causedby the US blockade to Cuba in such spheres as health care, education, food, andfinancial and banking services.
From April 2019 to December 2020, the total loss exceeded9 billion USD, he said, noting that the blockade has weakened the Caribbeancountry’s COVID-19 response capacity.
Nguyen Hai Anh, Permanent Vice President of theVietnam Red Cross Society, said he and those who love Cuba always back Cubanpeople’s struggle for justice in an effort to remove the embargo.
On this occasion, the Vietnam-Cuba FriendshipAssociation extended a message of solidarity with Cuban people, sayingVietnamese people always stand side by side with the people of Cuba, andstrongly support resolutions of the UN General Assembly asking the US to immediatelylift the blockade so that Cuba would grow further and integrate into the world’seconomy and trade equally.
This is the wish of not only Cubans but alsoVietnamese, and progressive and peace-loving people, including Americans, themessage read.
Vietnam will maintain solidarity and stand side byside with Cuba until the wish comes true, it said.
In the message, the Vietnamese side also called for thesupport of Americans and acts by the US government to put an end to the blockadeand restart the normalisation of relations with Cuba, for peace and developmentin the region and the world at large./.
VNA
