Cuba Thanks Russia for 19,526 Tons of Wheat
HAVANA TIMES – On Thursday, Cuba thanked the Russian government of Vladimir Putin for a donation of 19,526 tons of wheat, which reached the island a month late due to Western sanctions on Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.
The Cuban authorities received the support of the Russian Government in an act at the Ministry of the Agri-Food Industry, which in the last year has already sent food and medical supplies to the Island, which is going through a serious economic crisis.
The Russian ambassador to Cuba, Andrei Guskov, said that this important “humanitarian cargo” had problems because the shipowner could not be paid “due to the sudden disconnection of several Russian banks” from the SWIFT international payment system.
He added that this measure was due to “the events related to Ukraine,” referring to the Russian invasion of the neighboring country and stressed that Moscow is determined to continue supporting Cuba.
“We are willing to continue doing so, to the best of our ability. Even in the complicated global scenario that we are witnessing,” the ambassador added.
He affirmed that the “unilateral sanctioning attitude” of some countries will not triumph against the “firm will” of Russia and Cuba to maintain their bilateral “strategic association,” based on “friendship and solidarity.”
Guskov, who compared the sanctions against Russia with the United States embargo on Cuba, referred to three recent donations from his country of food and medical supplies.
In recent months, Cuba has received several donations from Russia, the United States, Japan, Nicaragua and Vietnam, among other countries, from both governments and private groups.
Most of the contributions were medical supplies and basic food, but in some cases several dozen buses were delivered.
Last year, the Island received 135 donations from 40 countries, mostly medical supplies and equipment for immunization and the fight against the pandemic, according to official data.
Cuba has been going through a serious crisis in recent years due to the combination of the covid-19 pandemic, the US embargo and failures in national economic management including in agriculture.
The Russian ambassador to Cuba, Andrei Guskov, said, and he “ . . . stressed that Moscow is determined to continue supporting Cuba.” With Moscow providing humanitarian aid to Cuba, as it has just done by supplying a boat load of wheat, this is a good thing. Any donated food supplies from one country to feed the citizens of another country is definitely a humanitarian gesture worthy of praise. Russia helping its friend Cuba to feed hungry Cubans is morally right.
However, why is the converse – any humanitarian gesture – not also true and acceptable, particularly in this case to Moscow, and its Russian enablers beginning with Vladimir Putin? That is to say, the NATO consortium along with other countries along the eastern border with Ukraine are witnessing horrible atrocities being committed by Russian troops against Ukrainian citizens. NATO and its allies want to help a friendly country – a friend.
Ukraine is crying out to the Western world for help, any type of help to defend its homeland to stop the murder and rape of innocent citizens, women and children. To help thwart the Russian onslaught of military death and destruction, the Ukrainian victims are asking for military aid. NATO and its friends are helping a helpless country defend its sovereignty, liberty and freedoms. This seems to be a morally just and correct thing to do. One friend wants to help another friend in dire distress.
Yet, according to the Russians this help, any help, is not acceptable. In fact, according to the Russians if this help continues, according to Moscow it could lead to WW3. Moreover, if this humanitarian help from Ukraine’s allies continues, Vladimir Putin has threatened to unleash nuclear weapons.
Russia helps Cuba. That’s O.K. NATO helping Ukraine. That is not O.K. Isn’t what is true for the goose is good for the gander?
We don’t see the United States, Canada, and other allied countries sending idle threats to Russia telling them to stop aiding Cuba. The Western countries including the United States, and most countries in the West do not support the U.S. embargo, do not call on punishing the Cuban people for the misdeeds and mismanagement of the island’s economy by totalitarian rulers causing tremendous suffering for the majority of Cubans.
The Russian ambassador goes on to say “. . . that the “unilateral sanctioning attitude” of some countries will not triumph against the “firm will” of Russia and Cuba to maintain their bilateral “strategic association,” based on “friendship and solidarity.” O. K. We accept that. Russia and Cuba are friends and support each other through thick and thin. Fine.
Again, how about the converse? How about NATO and some other democratic countries along the Russian eastern border, do they not have a “firm will” to maintain their bilateral strategic association based on friendship and solidarity with Ukraine? That same Ukraine that is presently being bombarded to smithereens and its citizens raped and murdered.
Do Ukraine’s friends, as Russia is a friend of Cuba, not have the moral obligation and forthright determination to help, in any way NATO can short of military boots on the ground, aid a neighbor invaded militarily?
Humanitarian aid, help, cargo, call it what you will is a good thing. Any neighborly humanitarian gesture in this world needs to work both ways so that humans, in this case Ukrainians, do not have to suffer needlessly. Humanitarianism should not be based on political ideology or military might.
As the article tells us: “In recent months, Cuba has received several donations from Russia, the United States, Japan, Nicaragua and Vietnam, among other countries, from both governments and private groups.” Now that sounds very positive. That humanitarian hubris needs to continue globally.
That “abstention” vote is rewarded Cuban regime hustling it best.
El Mundo esta lleno de “Idiotas Utiles”, Por ejemplo en los Estados Unidos existen millones de estos idiotas que aun siguen apoyando al Sr. Trump el cual lo unico que hizo durante sus 4 anos de Presidente fue robarle al pueblo Americano… y jugar Golf. Pero aun mas asombroso son los “Idiotas Utiles”… Cubanos, Estos han apoyado a los hermanos Castro y el gobierno que ha respaldado a estos 2 hnos durante mas de 60 anos. 60 anos de miseria, hambre, asesinatos. angustia entre familiares, muerte mientras trataban de escaparse de la isla de Cuba.
Cuba durante mas de 100 anos fue la perla de Caribe, pero en los ultimos 100 anos esta a la par con Haiti en hambre, sufrimiento, con el gran numero de turismo y otras cosas mas. Los hns Castro pudieran haber elevado la posicion mundial a niveles aun mas alto que muchos pueblos en los Estados Unidos. Me acuerdo que el 1951-1952 ya existia televicion en la Habana (nosotros teniamos televicion en nuestra casa en el 1951… esto, como ya les dije, fue antes de que muchas ciudades en los Estados Unidos. Teniamos guaguas moderna, Blance y el pueblo les decian “enfermeras” tambien durante el 1951. La construccion a toda velocidad para mantenerse al dia con la demanda causada por el gran turismoque tenia la Isla, y entoces… llego Fidel y su pandilla los cuales en vez de mejorar a Cuba, la cual se encontraba bastante desarollada, lo convirtio todo al fracaso que es hoy.
Es muy triste escribir todas estas cosas pero es la verdad y muchisimo que me queda por contar… quizas otro dia!
I contine to be amazed and impressed how Cubans all over the world remain so proud to be the product of such a beggar nation. To be sure, to talk to some Cubans abroad, if you didn’t know better and solely listened to their hype, you would think that the streets of Havana were paved with gold! Have you ever been to a concert of a Cuban reggaeton group? Huge Cuban flag and almost every song is about how great Cuba is. My kids are half Cuban so I appreciate the self-pride but it still amazes me.