Doha, 29 January 2009: The social achievements made by Cuba in the last 50 years were highlighted here by the Cuban Ambassador Armando Vergara Bueno, during a press conference yesterday to reporters from major Qatari newspapers in Arabic.

During the meeting was paid a tribute to the National Hero José Martí, in the 156 anniversary of his birth.

 
Among the subjects, were discussed the high rates shows by Cuba now in health, education, human development, and life expectancy, despite the economic-commercial blockade suffered for almost 50 years by the United States Government.

"A blockade that is not legitimized by the United Nations, and also is rejected by the international community," emphasized Vergara Bueno.

 
In that regard, he clarified that the 185 countries last October, of 192 comprising the UN, voted for a resolution presented by Cuba that calls to put an end to this absurd policy that has cost the country more than 93 billion dollars; an amount that represents 1.6 times the Cuban GDP.

 
The Cuban Ambassador pointed out that even with its limited economic resources; Cuba is among the countries that have more commitments in the area of cooperation with Third World countries.

"Cuba has helped develop programs such as “Barrio Adentro” in Venezuela, which has given each district a health care center, also has deployed a supportive eye operations has allowed to recover the eye view for more than 1 million 300 thousand patients from 33 countries in just four years and has shared programs to eliminate illiteracy, under the name of the “Yes, I can” and “Yes, I can continue" he added.

Vergara Bueno also explained that since 1961 until the 2007-2008 school year, have been graduated from Cuban universities over 52 thousand young people from 132 countries, including approximately 34 thousand of the African continent.

Similarly, from 1963 until May 31, 2008 Cuban cooperation abroad has involved more than 341 thousand employees in 154 countries, including more than 126 thousand professionals and health technicians in 104 nations.

 
For all that, and for the selfless support to national liberation movements in their struggle against colonialism and for independence of African countries like Angola, Congo, Algeria, and many others, is that our country now enjoys that reputation in the world, said Cuban Ambassador, who also noted the recent incorporation of Cuba to the Rio Group and the successful visit of President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, to Venezuela Brazil.

In addition, the Ambassador also stressed that even though Cuba from the first moment condemned the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, five Cubans remain unjustly in U.S. jails since 1998 for having infiltrated terrorist organizations in Miami and have alerted the U.S. government the plans to more than 170 attacks against the island.

These men, he explained, were accused of spying in a rigged judicial process, where they were sentenced to high prison sentences, including  2 life sentences  to the same person, and two of them have not been able to see more of there wives.

It also said that next February 5 Cuba will present its report to the Working Group of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism (UPR) of the Human Rights Council, with significant achievements and the commitment to further develop a society that can now shows high levels of social justice thanks the work of the Revolution.

 
Also was referred to the Cuban invariable solidarity with the just Arab causes and particularly with the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and the establishment of their independent sovereign state with its capital in East Jerusalem, the right to return of refugees and the return by Israel of the territories occupied in June 1967. This principled position has been affirmed in various ways by the Cuban people and government, up to the 5 Cuban hero’s prisoners in U.S. jails during the savage Israeli aggression perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

 
Finally  the Cuban Ambassador highlight the special relations of friendship existing between Cuba and Qatar, which this year meets the first 20 years, with plans to strengthen in the areas of tourism, health, culture, among others, as well as comprehensive program of activities throughout the year will be celebrated in Doha.

The interview was attended by journalists from the daily Al Raya, Al Sharq and Al Watan, who were given a PowerPoint presentation in Arabic, elaborated by the embassy on the main topics discussed and with plenty of material about them.