US forced to recognize Cubans’ rights: Pundit

Press TV has conducted an interview with Gloria Estela La Riva, a Latin America expert from Washington, for her take on the restoration of ties between the United States and Cuba.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: As far as lifting of the US economic blockade on Cuba goes and respect for Cuba’s sovereignty, are those two things the US is willing to provide?

La Riva: Well, it will take unfortunately more time. More resistance by the Cuban people and solidarity from around the world, because as we saw last year in the last several years in the United Nations General Assembly last October 188 countries versus two, the United States and Israel, called on the United States to lift its economic, financial and commercial blockade, which is genocidal. It has caused so much harm and damage, but it’s hard to say what will take place. However, today is a great day in that the United States finally had to be forced to recognize Cuba as a country that should not be on any terrorist sponsor list nor should any other country. And that it’s forced to recognize the country. And here we had today in Washington at the new Cuban embassy the Foreign Minister of Cuba Bruno [Eduardo] Rodriguez speaking very forthrightly with principles, strong saying “we demand the return of Guantanamo territory,” “we demand the end of the blockade and the end of destabilization efforts by the US,” we were very proud to be there. There are hundreds of people and there’s still a celebration outside the gates of the embassy tonight.

Press TV: Over the course of the next month and even year, there will be this long path of building confidence and trust between the two nations and their diplomats and governments. But do you think that is possible given the fact that the US’ foreign policy is always tended to come from a position of strength or domination over other countries?

La Riva: People around the world are too familiar with the bullying tactics of the US. Cuba in particular, for 55 years has suffered a very very harmful blockade, terrorist attacks on the people, biological warfare, economic strangulation. And so there, I don’t think that Cuba has give any concessions to the government of the United States. It’s the US government that has to concede that it has committed a crime against Cuban people and must make up for that by meeting the just demands of Cuba, its government and its people. It is a long long story, but as the Cubans said last December 17, when presidents Obama and Castro announced this new policy of embassy, the Cuban people said the US “blinked” and they were forced to come to us. I think we look forward to more changes, more positive moves on behalf of the United States.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir