Obama's inauguration as the new US president has not essentially changed the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba by the US government 50 years ago.

Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in China, Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández, speaks at a press conference at the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on October 27, 2009. The press conference was held to present the Report of Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba." [China.org.cn/Zhang Ming'ai]

"The US government tends to make the world to believe through media coverage and diplomatic means that it has changed its policy toward Cuba and the embargo against Cuba has started to be dismantled. I can assure you that nothing essential has changed."

Mr. Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in China, made the remarks at a press conference at the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on October 27, 2009. The press conference was held to present the Report of Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba."

Obama so far has only made very small steps forward in improving the relations between the US and Cuba. He has not changed the US policy of imposing the embargo against Cuba, said the ambassador.

Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in China, Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández, speaks at a press conference at the Cuban Embassy in Beijing on October 27, 2009. The press conference was held to present the Report of Cuba on Resolution 63/7 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba." [China.org.cn/Zhang Ming'ai]

Despite growing opposition to the blockade against Cuba by many Americans and Cubans living in the US, Obama declared on September 14 that the US would extend the embargo for another year against Cuba on the pretext of protecting its national interests.

Obama announced on April 13, 2009 to lift the restrictions on family visits for Cuban residents in the United States and the bans on Cuban-Americans sending remittances to relatives in Cuba. The ambassador says these measures only went into effect after a six month delay.

The ambassador also said that the ruling to allow American companies with licenses granted by the government to broaden certain telecommunications operations with Cuba has turned out to be a dead letter.

Unhappy with the current situation, the ambassador said the embargo is a brutal economic war launched against Cuba and is a 'genocidal' policy, causing enormous suffering and great economic losses to Cubans. He said it continues to be the prime obstacle to the economic and social growth of Cuba.

The US embargo restricts Cuba from exporting goods and services to the US and importing goods from the US. The US ban on Cuba's use of the US dollar denies Cuba the opportunity of obtaining loans from major international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

"The economic loss incurred by the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba by the US government has reached 236 billions US dollars. And the loss inflicted by sabotage and terrorist acts that are encouraged, organized and financed from the United States was estimated to be 54 billion US dollars," Hernández said.

The embargo also affects the exchange between the people of the two countries in the fields of culture, learning, science and sports. The US government did not allow the New York Philharmonic Orchestra to hold concerts in Havana, Hernández said.

Cuba's fight against the embargo has won worldwide support, including support from many American citizens. On October 29, 2008, 185 of the 192 members of the United Nations voted in favor of lifting the US embargo on Cuba, claimed the ambassador.