PKP-1930 Condemns U.S. Imperialist Moves to Sabotage Other Countries' Struggle Against the COVID-19 Pandemic

The PARTIDO KOMUNISTA NG PILIPINAS (PKP-1930, the Philippine Communist Party) strongly condemns the Donald Trump regime's move to sabotage other countries' struggle against COVID-19, by intensifying the economic, commercial and financial blockades and sanctions imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria and other countries, at a time these countries, together with all other countries in the world, are fighting to save their citizens from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The PKP-1930 further strongly condemns Trump's decision to withhold U.S. funding for the World Health Organization (WHO), which is apparently aimed at preventing this specialized agency of the United Nations from extending medical assistance and humanitarian aid to countries targetted by the U.S. blockades and sanctions. The COVID-19 pandemic is far from being over, and its effects in countries under U.S. blockades and sanctions can still be catastrophic. As of yesterday, April 21, more than 2.5-million people have been infected with the COVID-19, with around 172-thousand deaths worldwide. Alarmed at the dire prospects of the international health situation since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic over a month ago, many countries, international organizations and even prominent public figures have appealed to the Trump regime to lift its blockades and sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria and other targetted countries. As recently as April 15, all the 15 member states and 5 associate members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in a Summit Meeting thru videoconference hosted by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, CARICOM Chairperson, made a strong appeal for an end to the U.S. blockades on Cuba and Venezuela. The CARICOM Summit, which discussed joint medical procurement, food security and protection of the elderly, as well as the joint restoration of economic activities after the pandemic, made the special appeal for an end to the U.S. blockades on Cuba and Venezuela. The appeal reminded Trump that the security of all nations depends on international humanitarian cooperation, and that all countries must be part of the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. But this appeal fell on deaf ears, as the ruthless and sadistic Trump regime clearly intends to use the pandemic as a chance to ratchet-up “regime-change” pressures on targetted countries. The USA and other imperialist countries are themselves suffering from this pandemic, and should address the frustrations of their own peoples over the failure of their well-funded governments to cope with this pandemic. The USA has the highest number of total cases at over 792-thousand, with over 42-thousand deaths (of mostly black and colored citizens) as of yesterday. Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK jointly have a total of 811-thousand cases, with over 86-thousand deaths (of mostly poor people), also as of yesterday. China, where the pandemic started, had a total of over 82- thousand cases, with over 4,600 deaths, although it now reports just over 1,000 active cases remaining. Stop the Sabotage ! End Blockades and Sanctions to Let Other Peoples Survive ! Everywhere, new infections are still expected to rise. There could be tens of thousands of additional human casualties worldwide. And millions of people in countries targetted by U.S. blockades and sanctions are particularly endangered. At these critical times, the U.S. blockade on Cuba, with its extraterritoriality clause under the Helms-Burton Law, obstructs the delivery to Cuba of personal protective equipment, ventilators, test kits and other medical supplies. This is the most gruesome and barbaric manifestation of the criminal 60-year-long U.S. blockade, which also has very serious consequences on the economic development of Cuba and even on the daily lives of the Cuban people. Incidentally, the U.S. blockade on Cuba is overwhelmingly condemned every year at the annual sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, where the Philippine government also votes annually in favor of Cuba. The US blockades on Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria and other targetted countries have also made the importation of medical equipment, instruments and supplies by these countries almost impossible. Their attempts to deal with the pandemic have been severely hampered due to their inability to procure their medical needs, as their transactions with foreign banks and international pharmaceutical companies have been banned by the Trump regime. Out of fear of U.S. penalties and fines, international banks and companies comply and collaborate with Trump's sadistic policies. Stop the Ruthlessness and Sadism ! End the Blockade to Let Cuba Help Other Peoples ! U.S. blockades are deliberate and collective punishments upon entire populations, and the tightening of these blockades during a global pandemic is a ruthless and sadistic form of barbarism, aimed at sabotaging efforts adopted by targetted countries to contain the pandemic. This puts millions of people in targetted countries in grave danger. The further tightening of these U.S. blockades and sanctions at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic is a vile move in the vicious agenda of imperialism, and should be denounced and condemned by all countries and peoples worldwide. Regarding Cuba, the U.S. blockade seriously compromises not only Cuba’s efforts to safeguard its citizens at home, but also its humanitarian efforts to extend medical services to other countries that request its help. Cuba, despite its own problems and limitations, has become the world’s best example of internationalist assistance in the humanitarian health field, having sent around 1,000 health professionals to help 20 countries cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, including to Italy. Cuba’s policy of universal healthcare is based on the communist concept that health care is a human right, and yet the Trump regime carries out a continuous and exacerbated campaign of dishing out anti-Cuba fake news and insults in an attempt to discredit the international medical assistance being extended by Cuba. It is a campaign to foster fear and hatred of Cuba's humanitarian spirit and internationalist altruism, and of the admirable role of Cuban doctors who are assisting other countries in fighting the pandemic. A few days ago, on April 16, the Cuban government issued a Statement stressing that the COVID-19 pandemic evidences the need for countries to cooperate despite political differences. Cooperation is indeed needed so that advances in medical science would serve the wellbeing and healthy living of peoples, and not the profit of private pharmaceutical companies and the commercialization of medicine. The Statement notes that the roles of the United Nations and the WHO are indispensable in forging cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, as well as in ending the worldwide annual squander of USD$1.8-Trillion on military expenditures that are completely useless in the combat against COVID-19. The Statement appeals to all so that the eventual end of the pandemic will lead to a more just, secure and decent world –- where economic and social disparities will no longer kill millions of people every year. It notes that even before the appearance of COVID-19, there were 820 million people suffering from hunger worldwide, and 3 billion people lacking basic amenities for hand washing. In the post-pandemic world, the military-economic and technological power of imperialism should never again be allowed to strangle other peoples through blockades and sanctions, or through the inciting of wars and conflicts. DEFEND LIFE ! END THE U.S. BLOCKADES AND SANCTIONS NOW ! - PARTIDO KOMUNISTA NG PILIPINAS (PKP-1930, Philippine Communist Party), April 22, 2020.