St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves denounced the discriminatory treatment of the Summit of the Americas, in his speech at the ALBA Summit in Havana on Friday.
Gonsalves criticized the attitude of the US administration regarding participation in the Summit of the Americas and the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, a discriminatory practice condemned in ALBA’s declaration, which reaffirms the importance of integration.
Additionally, he pointed out that “no country should be excluded, and the host has no right to decide who attends or not.”
“The ALBA declaration insists on equal invitations,” Gonsalves said but added that, following Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua being excluded, there have been furtive statements circulated, such as the idea of sending the Cuban health minister to talk about COVID-19, but not to attend as a whole, or sending someone from a lower level to watch and listen instead of participating.
The impossibility of inviting Maduro has also been mentioned, as “there is a fiction that Guaidó could be president,” said the Head of Government.
The United States insults our intelligence, and we must protect our integrity. “I do not know how such a big country can go so low and we have to tell them, they are our friends, but they are wrong,” he said. Gonsalves explained that ALBA’s declaration from this meeting refers to the fact that we have had a setback in the continent, where the thaw between Barack Obama and Raúl Castro was experienced.
On President Joe Biden, Gonsalves said, “I didn’t expect him to do this” because it has brought us backwards. “And what do we answer? Do we take the metaphorical crumbs? No manners?” he asked.
Multilateralism, not unilateralism, is the goal of the ALBA declaration. Moreover, we cannot ignore the embargo against Cuba, which has lasted more than 60 years in violation of international law and has been denounced every year at the UN, he said.
In addition, Gonsalves recalled the words of former President Obama who has said that we should not fight battles of the 20th century in the 21st century, but we continue to do so, and it is necessary to speak with respect on these issues and make concessions where necessary.
In response to the United States encouraging illegal and irregular migration from Cuba to the United States, he noted that half the population of the Caribbean and my own country would leave if the United States said: “once they set foot in the United States they will have all the guarantees.”.
“You urge the Cubans to leave, you have this incessant war against this small country with its great economy, and you claim you have the moral strength,” he said in a direct address to the United States. “No, they don’t,” he said. You’re looking for people to submit.
