Brazil’s President Lula condemns US embargo on Cuba, calls it ‘illegal’

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned the US embargo on Cuba and termed it “illegal” during a visit to the island country.

Lula also denounced the inclusion of Cuba inthe list of so-called state sponsors of terrorism. Lula is on his first visit to Cuba since assuming power for the third time.

"Cuba has been an advocate of fairer global governance. And to this day,it is the victim of an illegal economic embargo," Lula said in a speech opening the G77 Summit of developing nations in the capital, Havana.

"Brazil is against any unilateral coercive measure. We reject Cuba's inclusion in the list of states sponsoring terrorism," he added.

Former US President Donald Trump had put Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Biden administration has reversed most of the sanctions put on Cuba by the Trump regime but has not removed Cuba from the notorious list.

International community on Cuba embargo

The international community has increasingly condemned USA’s sanctions on the island country; with many saying they hamper access to food, medicine and other essential items.

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Even the European Union, which is Cuba’s largest trading partner, doesn’t recognise USA’s embargo.

The United Nations General Assembly every year passes a resolution calling on the US to lift its embargo but to no avail.

Brazil’s position on Cuba

Brazil has historically backed Cuba on the world stage but its stance changed under the presidency of right-wing Jair Bolsonaro, which saw Brasilia siding with the likes of the US and Israel.

Now, Lula has vowed to restore Brazil’s traditional policy and to vote in favour of the UNGA proposal urging to remove all sanctions from the communist-ruled country.

Brazil-Cuba ties

Brazil and Cuba have a long-standing history of cultural ties, with Brazilian soap operas and vibrant musical traditions being widely embraced in Cuba. Additionally, Lula shares a well-documented friendship with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

During Lula's presidency, which spanned from 2003 to 2016, the ties between Brazil and Cuba strengthened significantly.

However, Brazil's last president, the conservative Jair Bolsonaro, took a markedly different approach during his term from 2019 to 2022, staunchly opposing the Cuban government and supporting the US embargo.

Lula's recent remarks condemning the embargo on Cuba did not receive a response from the US State Department.

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