CELAC-EU Summit Slams Blockade on Cuba, Extraterritorial Effects

The final declaration of the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU), which concludes today in Bruselas, rejects the blockade on Cuba and its extraterritorial effects. The document states that the provisions included in the Helms-Burton Act have caused humanitarian damages to the Cuban people and affected the development of economic relations among the Caribbean nation, the EU and other countries.

The unilateral coercive measures are contrary to the international law, the text states.

The document noted down the Special Declaration of the CELAC against the unilateral aggressions regarding Venezuela, adopted on January 29, and the statement of solidarity with that country approved on March 26.

The second summit between the CELAC and the EU took place for two days at the Justus Lipsius building, which welcome the Council of the bloc, and where more than 40 heads of States or Government and top-level delegations from 61 countries from both mechanisms participated.

The final document of the event welcomed the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Peace Zone, and the decision to resolve their controversies through peaceful means.

It also supported the announcement made on December 17, 2014 by Cuba’s President Raul Castro and U.S. Barack Obama to make progresses towards the restoration of bilateral relations.

In that context, we hope to adopt measures to end the blockade, states the declaration.