Representatives of all political parties in the Assembly (parliament) of Portugal expressed themselves in favor of lifting the economic, financial and commercial blockade that for almost six decades the United States applies to Cuba.
The Parliamentarians opposed that siege during a hearing at the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Portuguese legislature, in which the Cuban ambassador to that European country, Johana Tablada, stressed the need to end these unilateral sanctions.
During their speeches, the coordinators of all political groups represented in the Assembly expressed their support for strengthening the relationship between the Caribbean island and Portugal and demanded the cessation of the US seige.
At the meeting, of more than an hour, Tablada responded to deputies questions on bilateral ties as well as with the US, since in December 2014 began the process of restoration of relations between Washington and Havana.
The diplomat highlighted the good development of ties with that Iberian nation, with an increased of exchange of official delegations and a notable increase in tourism and the economic, commercial interest and investment between the two parts.
That scenario-she explained- positively resulted in the increasing number of visits of Portuguese companies to the Caribbean country and vice verse.
She asserted that the Portuguese government gave a new impetus to this process with the trip to Havana of Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva last June, 'and that is visible already in the commercial indicators the impact of this good time', she stressed.
Regarding the ties with the United States, she pointed out that despite the progress made since December 17, 2014, it is impossible to normalize them while the blockade and the illegal naval base in Guantanamo, in the eastern part of the island, remain.