On the morning of December 17, 2014 the governments of Cuba and the United States announced the re-establishing of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Around the world people woke up to the historic news of the return of the Cuban 5 Heroes to Cuba, after over 16 years of unjust imprisonment in the United States.<\/p>\n
From that time, a number of steps have been taken towards \u201cnormalizing\u201d relations. The U.S. was forced to take Cuba off its \u201cState sponsor of terror\u201d list, the Cuban flag flies proudly at the newly re-opened Cuban embassy in Washington DC and we witnessed the loosening of some trade and travel restrictions. While those are positive steps, the U.S. government still maintains in full force the most outrageous aspects of U.S. aggression towards Cuba, the almost 6 decades Blockade on the island and the U.S. occupation of Guant\u00e1namo Bay, Cuba.<\/p>\n
This hypocrisy of the U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba was demonstrated again this year. On October 27, 2015, at the United Nations General Assembly, the world voted overwhelmingly, 191 countries to 2, in favor of Cuba\u2019s resolution demanding an end to the criminal and illegal blockade of Cuba by the United States. Only the U.S. and Israel voted against the resolution.<\/p>\n
Cuba stands firm in the principles it\u2019s been defending since the triumph of the revolution and strongly assert that a true normalization between the countries has to be based on the respect of Cuba\u2019s sovereignty and self determination.<\/p>\n
As the Cuban President Ra\u00fal Castro explained in his speech at United Nations General Assembly on September 28, 2015 \u201cAfter 56 years in which the Cuban people put up a heroic and selfless resistance, diplomatic relations have been re-established between Cuba and the United States of America. Now, a long and complex process begins toward the normalization that will only be achieved with the end of the economic, commercial and financial blockade; the return to our country of the territory illegally occupied by Guantanamo Naval Base; the cessation of radio and TV broadcasts, and of subversion and destabilization programs against the Island; and, when our people are compensated for the human and economic damages they still endure.\u201d<\/p>\n
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