00:00Let's go back to the main highlight of today.
00:02Most of the United Nations member states once again voted in favor of lifting the U.S. blockade against Cuba.
00:09And in this context, we invite Hakim Jihad, member of the Jacksonville chapter of the U.S. hands-off Cuba comedy.
00:16Hello, Hakim. Thank you for joining us today.
00:20Hello, it's a pleasure to be here.
00:22In the midst of an intense campaign of political and diplomatic pressure from the United States,
00:28today there has been a resounding victory for Cuba and in the United Nations General Assembly.
00:34How would you interpret this victory in the face of the destabilizing actions performed by the United States?
00:42Well, I think it's not only a victory for Cuba, but a victory for the entire world.
00:46It is the will of the world itself to end the blockade, the U.S.-imposed blockade of Cuba.
00:52But the U.S. continues to isolate itself from the international will of the people.
00:59This is just another example of that.
01:04Practically all member states, with the exception of about a dozen, have spoken in favor of lifting the blockade.
01:13Could this result be interpreted as a sign of decline of U.S. influence in the multilateral arena?
01:19Absolutely. And especially with the genocide happening in Palestine and in Gaza,
01:27we have seen the immorality of the United States and that they do not have any moral authority.
01:35Not only is their economic hegemony ending, but their moral authority is waning as well.
01:41And they are becoming quite naked in their authoritarianism.
01:44Also, this decision comes in the aftermath of the devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa through eastern Cuba.
01:53On your opinion, what practical impact will the blockade have on the island's recovery?
01:59Also, why is it lifting the blockade a necessity for Cuba, especially in this context?
02:04Absolutely. The blockade is going to impact recovery efforts in Cuba to a very intense degree,
02:12considering that, of course, materials will be needed to repair the damages caused by the storm.
02:18These materials and commodities are hard to acquire when Cuba is falsely placed on the state sponsor of terrorism list.
02:25And if we really compare this to a natural disaster that we had in the United States, I'm talking about Hurricane Katrina.
02:33Cuba offered to send hundreds of doctors to assist with that crisis.
02:37Of course, the president at the time, George W. Bush, declined.
02:42But it was absolutely a need, and especially the African community of the United States is very much in debt to Cuba.
02:48And one last question, going back to this result of the United Nations General Assembly, on your opinion,
02:56what are the lessons that have been left by this victory in this space, international space,
03:04in the face of the power that has been played by the symbolic diplomacy in front of the political cohesion imposed by the United States?
03:12Well, I think that the message from the world is clear, that Cuba is not alone, that the U.S. is becoming ever more isolated.
03:21The United States called itself a defender of democracy, yet the world's democratic will says end the blockade,
03:26and Washington continues to ignore it.
03:30Thank you very much.
03:31Thank you, Hakim, for your presence here from the South and speaking to our audiences in the context of the symbolic victory for Cuba.
03:39My pleasure.
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