“Thanks to this policy, our country has ensured that the production, trafficking, or consumption of illicit substances is not a significant social problem, and has prevented the territory from becoming a platform for criminals involved in drug trafficking and related crimes,” Colonel Juan Carlos Poey noted.

In his remarks, he also called for consideration of the unique circumstances of small, disadvantaged Caribbean states, given the vulnerabilities caused by climate change and the increasing pressure that combating drug trafficking and organized crime places on these economies.

He also denounced the impact of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade, which limits access to technologies needed to combat this scourge.

Cuba reaffirmed its commitment to international collaboration to effectively address and confront this phenomenon, contributing to serious and concrete efforts undertaken globally and regionally.

The Technical Committee of the CELAC-European Union Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism on Drugs reviewed the implementation status of the La Paz Declaration, the main bi-regional commitment in the fight against drug trafficking.

It also welcomed the impetus given to bi-regional exchanges by the CELAC-EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia.

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