Colombian writer Laura Restrepo condemns blockade against Cuba

The award-winning Colombian writer Laura Restrepo said in Puerto Rico that the former president of her country Iván Duque has great responsibility in the reinforcement of the US blockade that today overwhelms the Cuban people.

“Duque is responsible for placing Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism,” said the author of novels such as “Delirio y Demasiados héroes”, speaking at a meeting with personalities and journalists that took place at the headquarters of the Movimiento Independentista Nacional Hostosiano (MINH).

Restrepo, who is in Puerto Rico for the Annual Book Fair in Caguas, pointed out that the former Colombian president (2018-2022) showed his right-wing stance by running to the United States to attack Cuba, accusing it of receiving terrorists, in reference to the Colombian guerrillas who were negotiating peace with the government.

Contrary to Duque’s accusation, the writer said, Cuba has always been the only territory that opened its doors for all peace negotiations, for which the guerrillas had to move with the consent of the Colombian and Cuban governments.

Laura Restrepo said that this is the reason for Gustavo Petro’s determination to fight against the blockade on Cuba since he assumed the presidency of Colombia on August 7, 2022.

“In this way the blockade, which was already choking Cuba, was intensified,” stressed the Colombian writer, who was accompanied at the table by Julio Muriente, MINH president, and Puerto Rican lawyer and journalist Daniel Nina.