Cuban lawmakers on Monday requested their counterparts across the world to demand the U.S. Congress and government lift the country's economic sanctions imposed on Cuba almost 50 years ago.
In a statement on Monday, the parliament of Cuba said that in the last 16 consecutive years, the United Nations has approved resolutions against the U.S. sanctions, but Washington "with its usual arrogance, has disclaimed the express mandate of the international community".
The parliament said that recently, hurricanes Gustav and Ike cost Cuba 5 billion U.S. dollars in damage, but the White House reiterated that it would lift the ban under no circumstances.
"That policy clearly typifies the international crime of genocide which soon will reach half century," the statement said.
Also on Monday, U.S. activist Pamela Ann Marti, member of the U.S. Support Movement to Cuba, said in Havana that the policy of her country toward the island country "is a horror."
In a declaration to local radio stations, Marti said that the government of Washington must respect the Cuban people and authorities.
"The U.S. candidate who wins the coming presidential elections must accept Cuba without regulations, like we accept the other countries of the world. That is the most important," Marti said.
The UN General Assembly will vote on Oct. 29 on a resolution to rule the necessity of seeking an end to U.S. sanctions against Cuba.
In October 2007, a similar document against the ban was approved by a UN vote with 184 countries in favor, four against (U.S., Israel, Marshall Islands and Palau) and one abstention of Micronesia.
According to Cuban estimates, the hostile U.S. policy has caused losses of more than 93 billion dollars in Cuba.