US Gov´t Intensifies Blockade Vs Cuba

Havana, Nov 14. – The government of President Barack Obama intensified the measures of the economic, commercial and financial blockade on Cuba since the early 1960, which caused millions in losses to the Caribbean country.

On September 2, 2010, Obama announced the extension of the Trading With the Enemy Act, which practically means the continuation of the blockade on Cuba.

According to a memorandum signed by the President to Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton, and of Treasury Timothy Geithner, "the continuation of these measures concerning Cuba suits the U.S. national interests."

The Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA) was enacted as a rule of war in 1917 to restrict trade with nations considered hostile.

The first regulations of the blockade against Cuba in 1962 are based on the TWEA, said a report on resolution 65/6 of the UN General Assembly entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba", presented by the Cuban government in October at the UN headquarters.

According to the report, despite growing demands by the international community to the U.S. government for a change towards Cuba, the Obama administration keeps intact the policy.

The direct economic damage caused to the people of Cuba until December 2010, at current prices, conservatively estimates a figure of more than 104 billion USD.(Prensa Latina)