Gonzalez underscored that ASEAN has supported, year after year, at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the resolution submitted by Cuba on the need to end the United States’ economic, financial, and commercial blockade, and that solidarity is not forgotten.

The ambassador made these remarks at a meeting with representatives of the bloc’s member countries, which was also attended by ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Nararya Soepaptro.

The meeting was held at the Ciputra Hotel in Jakarta, on the 5th anniversary of Cuba’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

The diplomat highlighted that November 10 marked the 5th anniversary of that transcendental step, which became “a historic moment that ushered in a new era in relations with members of the bloc based on mutual respect, solidarity, and peaceful cooperation.”

She underscored that the signing of the TAC was not a symbolic gesture, but a firm declaration of principles. Cuba, she said, became the first Caribbean country and the 5th in Latin America to join this instrument, thus reaffirming its commitment to multilateralism, non-intervention, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Gonzalez also noted that signing the treaty amid the global Covid-19 pandemic “reflected our willingness to join forces in the face of common challenges such as public health, climate change, and natural disasters.”

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