Havana, May 1st. - The refusal of the Argentine company Yacimientos Petrolófilos Fiscales SA (YPF) to continue supplying fuel to Cubana de Aviación aircraft is an evident demonstration, not only of the validity of the application of the genocidal blockade of the United States against Cuba, but of its extraterritorial nature, denounced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Antillean nation.
The statement, published on the organization's website, highlights that by complying with the US policy against Cuba, YPF Argentina contravenes the rules of international trade, and flagrantly violates its national legislation.
The text specifies that Law No. 24,871 of that country in its Article 1 says that “foreign laws that seek to generate extraterritorial effects through the imposition of an economic blockade, the limitation of investments in a certain country, or the restriction on the circulation of people, goods, services or capital, in order to cause a change in the form of government of a country, or to affect its right to free self-determination.”
As a result of the application of this measure, the Cuban airline has been forced to suspend regular flights between the island and Argentina, which had been maintained for 39 years.
The Foreign Ministry emphasizes that failure to comply with the contract by the Argentine company, in addition to causing damage to Cubana de Aviación, will harm Argentine citizens themselves and other travelers, including those who had air tickets purchased to and from Cuba.
The application of anachronistic and absurd restrictions to a Cuban company is a tangible fact that demonstrates the devastating effects of the blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba, the statement says.
It also points out that the Cubana de Aviación company has had million-dollar losses over the years due to Washington's extraterritorial policy, which has caused the cancellation of aircraft leases, the closure of bank accounts and commercial operations, and the impossibility of accessing to loans from international banks to maintain and repair its fleet, a common practice for the rest of the airlines in the world.
The Cuban airline, it adds, cannot buy aircraft either due to the impact of the measure that prevents Cuba from accessing means and equipment that contain more than 10 percent of components of US origin, which also affects domestic air transportation.
Cuba will continue to denounce cases of extraterritorial application of the blockade and demand the end of this illegal policy, which constitutes a flagrant violation of International Law and attracts the overwhelming rejection of the international community, concludes the Declaration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (ACN) (Photo: Cubahora)
