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Show Venceremos page twelve in order to try to maintain the social achievements that we have built. Sometimes people ask me, what about the affects of the blockade on the life of the Cuban people, what has been affected? We have been working under the blockade for more than thirty years, and movement, at a different conference, has condemned it — it has called to those achievements that policy has been condemned. I can mention for instance that the Non-Aligned that we have built were built under the blockade. We must be prepared to continue working in difficult times. I should mention the health-care system that was built up under the blockade. In 1958 the infant mortality rate was over 70 per 1,000 births. In 1991 it was 10.7, in 1992 it was 10.2, and in the first quarter of 1993 it was 9.4. All this was despite and in the midst of the present difficult situation. It shows that we are working hard to preserve the social gains. The United States Government blockade against the Cuban people does not have total support from the United Nations. Cuban Americans and other citizens here in the United States are protesting that the blockade is the cause of all the problems in Cuba. How much suffering are the people in Cuba experiencing? Well, there are two parts to the question. The first one is the position of the international community. I told you what was the position of the General Assembly in 1992. 1 gave you the figures for 1993. The situation will be the same in this general assembly. Jift the. 0.5. blockade of. Cuba: An American Senate conference has called to lift the blockade of Cuba. And many, many other regional conferences and organizations are calling to lift the blockade. So it shows that Cuba is not isolated on this issue. On how it is effecting the Cuban population, I can present different elements for consideration. 1 told you that we consider this policy to be a clear violation of the human rights of the Cuban people. 1 can present, for and to prevent the Cuban population from receiving food and medicine. For instance, on a specific topic, health care, I can make a reference to a report regarding the policy, a report by the American Public Health Association. Many examples are given there of the impact of the embargo on the provision of services in Cuba. I can mention something very inter- esting, the consequences of the policy of “brain drain.” In the early 1960s we had 6,000 doctors. As a consequence of the U.S. brain drain policy, 50 percent of them left Cuba. After that we started to develop our health-care system, and we started to work to guarinstance, a list of food and medicine ' antee doctors for the Cuban popula: that are blockaded. I can tell you that tion. Now we have more than 40,000 in 1992 the U.S. Congress passed a law doctors in Cuba. That means that we to tighten the economic international have been able to graduate 12 doctors blockade, the so-called “Cuban for every doctor that left Cuba. At Democracy Act.” In that law, one of the provisions this moment we have per capita one states that any U.S. subsidiaries in doctor for every 200 citizens — not third countries are not allowed to patients — citizens. This shows how trade with Cuba. Let me tell you that we are working in order to guarantee the health-care system in Cuba. 90.6 percent of our trade with those But 1 can tell you more. Up to this subsidiaries is for food and medicine, 90.6 percent. And another provision of - moment, it has been possible to mainthat law forbids that any traders on tain the health care system free of charges. We guarantee a system of ships involved in trade with Cuba free health care in spite of the diffimust not be allowed to dock in U.S. cult economic circumstances. Up to ports for 108 days after they traded now not a single hospital has been with Cuba. closed in Cuba. On the other hand, we Everything that we would have are working very hard in order to received for the island would have been cheaper — cheaper than the cost develop our biotechnological and of delivery by air flight. And hence the pharmaceutical industries in Cuba. I can tell you for instance that we amount we would be able to obtain at this time and pharmaceutical technologies that few other countries in the world have. I can mention, for instance, the capa- bility to make vaccinations against meningitis B and hepatitisB. We have the possibility to offer a treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, a viral blinding of the eyes. We have the possibility to offer an effective treatment for vitiligo, a skin disorder. And others. This shows that despite the difficult economic Meetings held Thursdays at 12:00 noon if the CESA Obhice 581-8151 hor more inpormation. circumstances we are working hard in order to protect the health-care system — a real fight of the Cuban population. 1 would like to share with you that today we have more universities and medical schools in Cuba than in in Cuba in and we 1959, we have today more nursing schools than 1959; have more nurses and many more doctors than 30 years ago. Could you please tell me about the 13 de Marzo tugboat accident? How did President Fidel Castro handle this situation, as well as the Baragua passenger boat on July 26 and the Aug. 2 hijacking of the La Coubre passenger boat? I understand that the U.S. is allowing the hijackers into the U.S. Yet the hijackers dumped the hostages they took in the ocean. Well, part of the answer is what I mentioned a minute ago when 1 told you that the U.S. has developed a big campaign against the Cuban govern- ment in order to encourage illegal departure. They encourage illegal departures in order to try to promote situations like this one. So what has happened concerning the hijackers? People are using an illegal way to come to the United States because some of them have tried to reach the United States the legal way and they cannot do it. You can imagine the difficulties for the Cuban people trying to come to the United States the legal way, while hijackers have - (Center jor Ethnic Student Ajjairs), 318 Olpin Union. Call biolotechnological received the red car- pet. What's the message here? All the hijackers have been accepted. But what happens to the Haitian people who came by boat to the U.S. coasts? What happens to the Mexican people when they try to cross the border day by day? They are sent back. But if a Cuban citizen hijacks a boat or plane they are received with open arms. Why? To create a campaign against Cuba. | It is very clear to us. These campaigns have different elements, i.e. slanders, lies, and misinformation. You mentioned the situation with the -boats. I can tell you that those hijackers were anti-social elements in Cuba. They used normal Cuban citizens as hostages in order to try and reach the U.S. coast. For instance, recall the situation of the tugboat. A group of anti-social elements hijacked the boat. That boat was restricted to operate in the Havana bay because it was in very bad condition, and the hijackers knew that very well. On the other hand, according to the technical regulations of that boat, it was supposed to carry four passengers. Only four passengers! The hijackers knew that it had life saving equipment for only four passengers, and that it was a very old boat. For that reason the Cuban regulations forbade that the boat move out of that area. They knew everything about all that, and in spite of this, they used it. For that reason, that situation was the total responsibility of the hijackers, for it was very irresponsible to take that boat. It was impossible to reach the U.S. coast in that boat. And what happened? The media here used all this to create a propaganda campaign against Cuba. But these anti-social elements used even a newborn baby, a three month old baby, as a hostage. Therefore, it was necessary to try and stop this type of situation. rem al international meetings, have : : MA . regional conferences, different region- from page six. would be greater, because it's cheaper. This is clear evidence that this policy tries to starve the Cuban population mr Toscano Fall 1994 I can tell you also that at different |
