The Vatican on Friday condemned the U.S. blockade against Cuba, while making prior statements to the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Caribbean island next week.
According to Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, the Holy See considers the blockade makes people suffer, and does not meet the goal of a greater good.
The Vatican does not believe this is a positive and useful measure, Lombardi said in response to a question in a press briefing on the Pope’s travel, scheduled for March 23 towards Mexico and Cuba.
Pope Benedict XVI will visit the island for the first time from March 26-28, and afterwards he will travel to Mexico.
The economic and financial blockade turned 50 years last month and remains
to be the cornerstone of the U.S. policy towards the Caribbean island, located just 145 kilometers from the state of Florida, although the measure has not fulfilled its main objective of undermining the Cuban Revolution.
(With information from Reuters)
Translated by Osmany González Tocabens