St. Kitts and Nevis’ Resident Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba, Her Excellency Verna Mills, in a recent press engagement for Diplomatic Week organized by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the over 243 sanctions that the United States (US) government has imposed on Cuba are causing immeasurable suffering for Cubans and that St. Kitts and Nevis like the rest of the international community call for the lifting of the embargo.
“Cubans have been suffering for over six decades now and St. Kitts and Nevis is of the view that it is time that the US lifts this embargo. The whole international community is in support of the US lifting this embargo on Cuba…the people are the ones who are suffering day in, day out—fuel shortages, electricity problems…I can go on and on about all the hardships and challenges that we face as diplomats, as well as the Cubans there,” she said.
“The US has over 243 sanctions levied on Cuba, and it affects us, especially diplomats living and resident there on the island in our engagement with Cuba. However, it affects the Cubans more than it affects the diplomatic community…the Cuban population is the one that really suffers from the challenges that its government is faced with,” Ambassador Mills added.
The US executed and maintains a comprehensive economic embargo on the Republic of Cuba since 1962, which was proclaimed by President John F. Kennedy.
“The Cubans have little to no access to technology because of the US sanctions. They don’t have access to affordable food because of the US sanctions again,” she said. “All of these issues affect us as a diplomatic community there too…the economic system in Cuba is not so favourable for Cubans because Cuba is a cash-strapped country so its reach is very limited and it can do very little for its own population whereas as a diplomat there you are in a better economic position so you can afford to purchase food even though it is much more expensive.”
Diplomatic Week was held in St. Kitts and Nevis from April 23-28, 2023, under the theme “Driving change: Advancing a vision for a sustainable Island State