THE Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Hugo Ramos Milanes, will be the speaker at an event in North Clare next week. On Thursday, October 28 at 8.30pm in Hotel Doolin the ambassador will speak about Cuba’s place in the modern world, including the country’s links with Clare and its work in helping fight Covid-19.
Denis Vaughan of the North Clare Labour Party is urging people to come along to what he describes as a “very interesting evening”, adding, “Cuba is a fascinating story and Ambassador Milanes is an inspirational speaker”.
“His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Hugo Ramos Milanes will discuss Cuba’s place in the modern world, its struggle for independence similar to Ireland, Cuba’s amazing medical help to 15 countries in fighting the Covid Virus, Ireland – Cuba relations and Che Guevara’s visit to Clare in the 1960s.”
Denis continues, “Could we in Ireland survive if we had 11 million people and were embargoed illegally for the last 60 years by the USA? This is the situation in Cuba. Trade with Cuba is totally prohibited by USA and any firm trading with Cuba is subject to severe financial sanctions and its management subject to criminal prosecution.
“The international community overwhelmingly opposes the embargo. In June 2021, for the 29th time, the UN voted overwhelmingly for the USA to remove the sanctions 184 in favour, two against USA and Israel, and three abstentions Columbia, Ukraine and UAE.
“Cuba’s economy has been devastated. Despite the poverty caused by the embargo, Cuba has made tremendous social progress in food production, healthcare, housing, education, research, sport and for example, has successfully developed its own homegrown Covid-19 vaccines.”