Crowe meets Dr Aleida Guevara

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, today met Dr Aleida Guevara, Ché Guevara’s daughter, in Leinster House.

Dr Guevara, who is a paediatrician, was visiting Ireland to attend the Ché do Bheatha festival in Kilkee and also launch her book “Remembering Ché: My Time with Ché Guevara” in Liberty Hall on 1 October 2012.

Speaking after the meeting Deputy Crowe said:

“It was great to meet Dr Guevara and hear her speak about the health care system in Cuba and the forced economic embargo of the Caribbean country.

“The advancement Cubans have made in health care is a massive achievement as they have to work under an illegal trade embargo by the US. Three-quarters of the pharmaceutical medicines created in the world are produced by US firms. That means Cuba has largely had to create a self-sufficient pharmaceutical and health care system, which they have done with great success.

“Dr. Guevara also mentioned major medical advances that Cuba has made in relation to vaccinations for lung and colon cancer. They are ready to share these ground breaking medical treatments with the world but because of the embargo they cannot.

“I think it is a tragedy that people are suffering from these terrible illnesses but yet they can’t avail of these major medical breakthroughs because of the illogical trade embargo.

“The US needs to end this illegal embargo on Cuba, a position which has consistently been overwhelmingly supported at the United Nations General Assembly. It is clear to see that the world will benefit from trade with Cuba and of course the Cuban population will benefit from full trade with other countries.”