Given the “serious” humanitarian crisis that Cuba is experiencing, deepened by pressure from the United States, Mexico must assume its “tradition” and promote a “diplomatic initiative” of mediation between the two parties to prevent the conflict from escalating, he urged this Friday in an interview with EFE Roberta Lajous, ambassador of Mexico in Havana between 2002-2005.
“Mexico cannot sit idly by. So, I believe that the search for a dialogue between both parties would be more effective (…) Mexico has a great diplomatic tradition and must draw on its history and its human resources,” stressed the former diplomatic representative on the island under the presidency of Vicente Fox (2000-2006).
In his opinion, and in an interview with Diego Estrada, The diplomat said that Cuba is suffering a “serious problem” due to the tariffs announced by the US president, Donald Trump, against the countries that supply it with oil, so she called on Mexican diplomacy to promote a “rapprochement” between the parties to avoid a humanitarian crisis with “devastating” consequences.
Complex relationship between Mexico and Cuba due to the US
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has insisted several times that she has always “set the table” to mediate the conflict, offering to host future negotiations, although she has pointed out that this would depend exclusively on the will of both nations.
However, the former ambassador to Cuba considers that her country should have a “more constructive contribution than the headquarters,” since, she added, “We are called to seek a rapprochement” between Washington and Havana.
For this reason, he assured, Mexico must have an “active role in the Cuban crisis” instead of “sending alms” to the Caribbean island, in reference to the shipment of humanitarian aid announced by Sheinbaum.
“Sending oil would be suicidal”
Regarding the shipment of oil to Cuba, dependent on fuel imports, Lajous stated that it would currently be “suicidal” due to the coercive measures promoted by the White House.
“The United States is sending humanitarian aid to Cuba and Mexico has no reason not to send it. Oil is something else (…) Mexico has not made it clear, but it seems that these exports have been slowed down due to this tax measure by the Trump Government.”Lajous noted.
In his opinion, this situation is a “tragedy” for Cubanswho “do not have electricity, have nothing to eat and there is no transportation to take food from producers to consumers.”
Mexico will send humanitarian aid to Cuba “on Monday at the latest”
For all this, he appealed to Mexico’s diplomatic tradition and its role in different problems in the region to lead these three-way talks with the goal that Cubans “do not suffer.”
Political gestures to “sit at the negotiating table”
To achieve detente, the former diplomatic representative pointed out that both nations have to “do their part to sit at the table.”
“It is not possible to continue defending an economic system that has failed.” and that has people hungry. And on the other hand, on the part of the United States, it is absurd to continue insisting on an economic embargo that has not produced results for 60 years.”said Lajous, a veteran diplomat who was also the Mexican ambassador to Bolivia (2007-2010) and Spain (2014-2020).
He warned that Mexico could suffer the consequences of the crisis with an increase in Cuban migration to its territory.
The White House insisted again last Thursday that they are in negotiations with Havana, a statement that Miguel Diaz-Canel continues to deny, despite saying they are open to maintaining a dialogue.
