Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, Nov 6. -The worsening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States affects academic exchange between the two nations, María Isabel Domínguez, a sociologist of the Center of Psychological and Social Research (CIPS), said in Havana on Tuesday.
Domínguez told Prensa Latina that after the strengthening of this policy, in force for almost 60 years, during the administration of President Donald Trump, Cuban researchers have limitations to participate in events, as they face obstacles to get visas.
The US sanctions also limit the possibilities for Cuban researchers to contribute to the different disciplines of the development of the society, thus ratifying that the blockade is a major obstacle to our development, noted Domínguez, who is also the coordinator of the CIPS Youth Group.
According to the PhD in Sociology, studies carried out in her department show the impact of the blockade on young people, so that many of them look for economic opportunities in other societies.
This leads to the emigration of professionals, which in turn affects the development of the social, technological and innovation sciences of the country that devoted significant resources to their training, the member of CIPS said.
The CIPS is an institution that studies Cuban society, and particularly issues such as family, youth, work and religion.
Trump, who took office in January 2017, has escalated his hostile policy against Cuba with the imposition of more restrictions on bilateral ties and the withdrawal of personnel from the US Embassy in Havana, thus reducing people's access to visas for scientific exchange.
Domínguez expressed concern about the holding of the 37th International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) in May 2019 in Boston, a forum often attended by dozens of Cuban experts, as visas are always a matter of concern.
On November 1st, 189 of 193 United Nations member States voted at the General Assembly in favor of a resolution calling for an end to Washington's unilateral blockade, an initiative similar to the one endorsed year after year in a categorical way by the main UN body since 1992. (Taken from Prensa Latina)
