Legislator Carmen di Lauro stated, in the 674th session of the Chamber of Deputies, that Cuba “has been subjected to a shameful blockade by the United States for more than 60 years, but what has been happening in recent months, in recent weeks, is something that didn’t even occur during the Cold War.”

  “We believe that, in a world already marked by brutal wars and genocide, what is happening in Cuba is another act of terrorism,” said di Lauro, who called on his government to take “a clear stance” and end the ambiguity and silence surrounding such violations of international law and human rights by the United States.

  On behalf of the Italian government, the Undersecretary of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Luigi Sbarra, acknowledged that “the most recent data confirm the gravity of the situation: the economic, social, and energy difficulties have had a severe impact on the Cuban population,” but avoided blaming the United States.

  Sbarra merely stated that “we are carefully considering any initiative that could contribute to fostering a serious dialogue between Washington and Havana.”

  For her part, MP Stefania Ascari, of the Five Star Movement (M5S), expressed dissatisfaction with this official position, adding that Italy “must adopt a clear and unequivocal stance, both at the United Nations and in the European Union, against the continuation of the blockade, the tightening of coercive measures in the oil embargo, and the measures that currently endanger the Cuban people’s right to life, health, food, and education.”

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