At the gathering, organized by the association *Schierarsi*, the Cuban Ambassador to Italy, Jorge Luis Cepero Aguilar, denounced the blockade, warning that those who—whether deliberately or out of ignorance—downplay its significance effectively become its accomplices.
He noted that the unilateral measures imposed by the United States against Cuba violate international law and reflect an intent to impose—not only on the island but on the entire international community—a new system of international relations based on the “law of the strongest.”
The Cuban ambassador drew attention to the U.S. government’s persistent threats of military aggression against the Caribbean nation, which it has labeled an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to its own national security.
In another address, Cuban Deputy Minister of Public Health Julio Guerra Izquierdo spoke about the damage inflicted on the island’s healthcare system by this aggressive policy—particularly over the past year, due to an “energy siege” that prevents fuel from entering the country.
He pointed out that these disruptions have negatively impacted the nation’s health indicators, citing, for instance, an increase in the infant mortality rate from 4.0 to 9.9 per 1,000 live births.
Meanwhile, Marco Papacci, president of the Italy-Cuba National Friendship Association, highlighted the achievements of the beleaguered nation, while Italian scientist Fabrizio Chiodo—a member of the National Research Council—underscored the significant results attained by the Cuban biotechnology sector.
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