St Vincent’s leader of the Opposition, Ralph Gonsalves, has called on the current government to send shipments of flour and rice to Cuba.
Gonsalves on Monday stated that the assistance should be a humanitarian act rather than an ideological one. He argued that aid is necessary because of the “blockade” and the tightening of restrictions on Cuba by United States authorities.
He emphasized that Cuba has helped St. Vincent and the Grenadines “immensely” in the past. He believes the country has a duty to show assistance “in real terms” to those who have stood in solidarity with them.
Gonsalves cited the Book of Matthew, Chapter 25, as the mandate for providing this help. He challenged the “Christian” values of U.S. leaders like Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, stating that they must show their faith through actions rather than just words.
He expressed concern that the current administration might “put aside” Cuban district doctors and urged them to maintain their relationship through this aid.
Gonsalves noted that his party had provided similar assistance to Cuba in the past and insisted that St. Vincent and the Grenadines must continue to support its “Cuban brothers”.