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Ministry of Foreign Relations Statement
On
June 30, the United States Departments of Treasury
and Justice, and the state of New York levied a
record 8.97 billion dollar fine against the French
bank BNP Paribas, for not abiding by the unilateral
U.S. government sanctions on several countries. In
the specific case of Cuba, this banking institution
is accused of having “processed thousands of
transactions with Cuban entities, totaling over 700
thousand million dollars,” according to U.S.
Attorney General Eric Holder.
This
fine, which is the largest in history imposed by the
U.S. government for violations of the blockade on
Cuba, and existing sanctions against third
countries, violates international law and represents
illegal, extraterritorial enforcement of U.S. law
against a foreign entity.
At a
time when a Free Trade Agreement between the United
States and the European Union is being negotiated,
one might ask if this is the way the U.S. government
will continue to treat its allies, and question the
usefulness of European regulations and laws to the
contrary, if they are not enforced to protect
sovereignty and the interests of national entities
and of those affected by these arbitrary actions..
BNP
Paribas joins the long list of financial,
commercial, economic and other entities, both U.S.
and foreign, which have been subjected to punitive
measures, in the context of a tightening blockade
and, in particular, financial persecution of Cuba.
With
this new fine, the Obama administration surpasses
all predecessors, having imposed dozens of fines on
entities for a total of more than 11 billion
dollars, levied in accordance with regulations
associated with various sanctions.
Once
again, the U.S. government ignores the overwhelming
international condemnation of this failed, criminal
policy against our nation. With actions such as
these, also ignored are the growing demands of
various sectors of U.S. society for a fundamental
change in policy toward Cuba.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounces this attack
against the sovereignty of states, the norms of free
trade and international law.
Havana, July 2, 2014
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