Cuba denounces food purchases to the US under poor conditions

Havana, May 8 - The Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca , denounced today that Cuba buys food from the United States in unfavorable conditions and an example is the recent fine against an American company for allegedly violating the blockade.

Malmierca published in his Twitter account that 'recently US authorities lied when they claimed that Cuba imports medicines from there. And while it is true that we buy food, we do so under onerous conditions. '

In his message, the Cuban head drew attention to the statement from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which establishes the fine of $ 257,862 to the North American food company Biomin America Inc.

Released the day before, the text informs that the company, based in Overland Park, Kansas, has agreed to pay the aforementioned amount to settle its possible liability for apparent violations of the Cuban Asset Control Regulation (CACR).

According to OFAC, from July 2012 to September 2017, that company and its subsidiaries abroad participated in 30 sales of agricultural products produced outside the United States to the Alfarma SA firm, from Cuba, without the authorization of OFAC.

The news about the new United States Government fine is released as international calls for the Donald Trump administration to lift the blockade against the island are increasing. (PL)