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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 9 September 2022

Cuba says U.S. is acting immorally by keeping it on blacklist

By EDITH M. LEDERER Maduro as reasons.
Associated Press Fernandez said U.S. officials
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — describing delisting as a
Cuba’s deputy foreign “politically difficult” deci-
minister accused the Biden sion is “an immoral excuse,
administration of acting im- because as a result of this
morally, illegitimately and designation, the Cuban
unfairly by keeping Cuba economy is suffering an
on the list of state spon- additional pain on the one
sors of terrorism, claiming it already imposed by the
has been a victim of state- blockade.”
sponsored terrorism by the He explained that anyone
United States for more than engaging economically or
60 years. financially with a country
Carlos Fernandez de Cos- on the list faces the possi-
sio said in an interview with bility of being punished by
The Associated Press that the United States, and that
maintaining Cuba on the because of Cuba’s des-
State Department blacklist ignation over 30 financial
with North Korea, Iran and and banking institutions in-
Syria is “an easy way to terrupted their relationships
punish Cuba with the over- with the country.
all aim of trying to make “There is huge economic
Cuba what it is not — to Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio is interviewed by The Associated Press pressure,” Fernandez said,
make Cuba a failed state.” on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Washington. explaining that for the past
“The U.S. unfortunately pays Associated Press six years the country has
no price for doing some- of properties belonging to Trump’s administration re- of Colombia’s last guerrilla had no sources of financ-
thing that is illegitimate, un- U.S. citizens and corpora- designated Cuba as a group, the National Libera- ing or development credit,
sustainable and immoral,” tions. Removing Cuba from “state sponsor of terror- tion Army, known as the and the U.S. has tried to de-
he said. “And even though, the blacklist had been one ism,” imposing new sanc- ELN. He said Cuba didn’t in- prive Cuba of fuel so it has
speaking with government of then-President Barack tions. During his campaign, vite them but responded to to pay a 15-30% premium
officials, they find no reason Obama’s main foreign Biden promised to renew a request from the Colom- because of the risk that the
why Cuba should be in the policy achievements as he relations with the commu- bian government to host few sellers take.
list, they claim that it is po- sought better relations with nist-governed island, but peace talks with the group The country is also still suf-
litically difficult for them.” the Caribbean island, an he has made no move to in Havana. fering from the impact of
The United States imposed effort endorsed by Biden as do so. Fernandez said the He didn’t mention that COVID-19 and tourism, es-
an economic embargo on his vice president. “pretext” then-Secretary Pompeo also cited Cuba’s pecially from Canada and
Cuba in 1960 following the Days before Biden was in- of State Mike Pompeo continued harboring of U.S. the European Union, which
revolution led by Fidel Cas- augurated as president, gave was the presence in fugitives and its support for is an important source of in-
tro and the nationalization then-President Donald Cuba of representatives Venezuelan leader Nicolás come, he said.q

Dominican president bars Haitian ex-leader from his country

By MARTÍN ADAMES AL- Joseph welcomed Abinad- name of fathers Dessalines, authorizes the president to lic wasn’t a safe country.
CÁNTARA er’s ban on Thursday. Toussaint and Christophe,” ban anyone from entering Dominican officials bristled
Associated Press “He ranks me as enemy No. he tweeted, referencing the country if they have a at the allegation, and ties
SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- 1 of the Dominican rac- Haitian revolutionary he- criminal record or pose a between the two coun-
can Republic (AP) — The ists. It is not a sanction. It’s roes. threat to national security, tries have since soured,
president of the Dominican an honor. I receive it in the Abinader’s order, which is the latest tussle between especially given a spike in
Republic has barred Haiti’s Joseph and Dominican of- Haitian migrants crossing
former interim prime min- ficials. over to the Dominican Re-
ister who is now an aspir- Joseph, who was foreign public as they flee deepen-
ing presidential candidate affairs minister when Moïse ing poverty and a spike in
from entering the country, was slain, became interim gang-related kidnappings
a move that further height- prime minister for a brief and killings since Moïse’s
ens tensions between two period with the backing of assassination.
nations that share the is- police and the military. The influx of migrants also
land of Hispaniola. When Ariel Henry was in- has led to an increase in
The order against Claude stalled as Haiti’s prime min- racist and xenophobic inci-
Joseph that was signed ister nearly two weeks after dents in the Dominican Re-
Wednesday by Dominican Moïse’s killing, Joseph re- public against Haitians and
President Luis Abinader verted to being minister of those born in that country
also bans 12 Haitian gang foreign affairs. He stepped to Haitian parents.
leaders from entering the down following an acrimo- In February 2022, Abinader
country. It comes as Haiti nious exchange with Do- announced his administra-
is becoming increasingly Then Interim Prime MinisterClaude Joseph speaks during a minican officials following tion would build a multimil-
unstable following the July memorial service for the late Haitian President Jovenel Moise, in a tweet in November 2021 lion-dollar, 118-mile (190-ki-
7, 2021, assassination of its Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 20, 2021. in which Joseph suggested lometer) wall along the
president, Jovenel Moïse. Associated Press that the Dominican Repub- Haitian border. q