Lula condemns at G77 Summit the illegal US blockade against Cuba

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Saturday condemned at the G77+China Summit the hostile and unjust blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for over 60 years.

“And to this day (Cuba) is the victim of an illegal economic blockade,” said Lula, taking the floor on the second and last day of the G77+China Summit.

He remarked that “Brazil is against any unilateral coercive measure”, and “we also strongly condemn the inclusion of Cuba in the States Sponsoring Terrorism (SST) list”.

During his speech, Lula called for forging a common vision that takes into account the concerns of low- and middle-income countries, and other more vulnerable groups.

“We have to capitalize on the genetic heritage of our biodiversity with fair distribution of benefits, safeguarding intellectual property over our resources and traditional knowledge,” Lula added.

He indicated that sustainable industrialization, investment in renewable energies in the bioeconomy and in low-carbon agriculture will be promoted. “We will do this without forgetting that we do not have the same historical debt as the rich countries for global warming.”

For the Brazilian leader, “the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is still valid, that´s why climate financing must be guaranteed to all developing countries according to their needs and priorities”.

He described as strategic that the G77+China has dedicated for the first time a Summit to Science, Technology and Innovation.

He detailed that, in the 1980s, Brazil was a pioneer in South-South cooperation in science, technology and innovation, establishing partnerships in the nuclear area with Argentina and in the space area with China.

“These two cooperation initiatives bear fruit to date. We will give new impetus to regional programs and projects through ECLAC, BRICS and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries,” he said.

In this way, we will resume the leading role of the countries of the South, generating employment and income and seeking new solutions to the issues that concern the world.

“The countries of the South have full conditions to occupy the vanguard of science, technology and innovation,” he remarked.