Cuba condemns U.S. blocking of Alibaba donation amid coronavirus outbreak

Cuba condemns the U.S. blocking of donation from China to stem COVID-19 spread on the island, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said via Twitter on Wednesday.

"Cuba denounces that medical supplies from Alibaba Foundation to help combat COVID-19 have not arrived in the country due to the criminal U.S. blockade against the island nation," he said.

Diaz-Canel said that the U.S. blockade violates human rights of the Cuban people.

The U.S. cargo enterprise hired by Alibaba to carry a batch of facemasks, rapid test kits and ventilators to Cuba refused to transport the donation to Cuba in the last minute citing the Helms-Burton Act.

Donald Trump's administration enacted Title III of the Helms-Burton Act in May last year, giving U.S. nationals and companies the right to sue foreign citizens and enterprises investing in properties nationalized by the Cuban government.

Cuba's ambassador to China Carlos Miguel Pereira said the U.S. administration had abused efforts made by Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, to support the Cuban people.

Cuban health authorities reported 26 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to 212.