Speaking at the forum’s plenary session, the island’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Rofolfo Benitez, considered the mobilization of warships and other weapons a dangerous and aggressive show of force, which threatens the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.

In this regard, he denounced Washington’s position as a step that ignores the commitment of the 33 member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to peaceful coexistence, reaffirmed in 2014 in Havana, where they declared the region a Zone of Peace.

The diplomat also condemned the US accusations of drug trafficking links against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, used by the White House and the State Department to justify the deployment.

He warned that this is an absurd and ridiculous pretext that lacks foundation.

According to Benitez, “no one with a minimum of common sense and honesty conceives that the magnitude of the troops, military equipment, air and naval assets, including nuclear submarines, and firepower that the United States is deploying in a peaceful area like the Caribbean truly achieves the stated objectives” of combating drug trafficking.

Cuba urged the Conference on Disarmament to demand that Washington end its military escalation in the Caribbean and its hostile actions against Venezuela.

Accepting this disproportionate and dangerous military operation or remaining silent would set an extremely serious precedent, he stressed.

arm/mem/wm