The leaders of Mexico, Brazil and Spain have pledged more aid to Cuba, while appealing for the island nation’s sovereignty to be respected amid an ongoing pressure campaign from United States President Donald Trump.The joint statement on Saturday was released as leftist leaders from across the globe met in Barcelona.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe three countries expressed “great concern about the serious humanitarian crisis that the people of Cuba are going through”.The US has imposed a trade embargo on Cuba since Cold War tensions emerged in the 1960s.But the Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on the island’s communist government, in an apparent attempt to prompt leadership change.Since January, Trump has barred the import of oil from Venezuela. He also threatened other countries with sanctions if they deliver oil to Cuba, leading to fuel shortages and energy blackouts.The campaign against Cuba’s government follows similar pressure tactics against Venezuela’s former President Nicolas Maduro, who was abducted and imprisoned in a US military operation on January 3.Trump, meanwhile, has floated the removal of Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel.In Saturday’s statement, the governments of Mexico, Spain and Brazil — represented by President Claudia Sheinbaum, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, respectively — warned against any actions that run “contrary to international law”.“We are committed to coordinating an increase in our humanitarian response, aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Cuban people,” the trio said.While the statement did n …
