HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 11 (acn) Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff demanded the United States to lift the commercial, financial and economic blockade against Cuba, during her speech at the first plenary session of the Seventh Summit of the Americas, underway in Panama.

Rousseff said the US blockade, which last more than 5 decades, weakens the Inter-American System of Constitutional Human Rights.

She welcomed US President Barack Obama´s and Cuban President Raul Castro´s decision to start a process to reestablish diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Rousseff also expressed her repudiation of the recent executive order of Obama against Venezuela

Regarding the Summit, the Brazilian president praised the slogan ¨Prosperity with equity,¨ which is  the challenge of cooperation in the Americas since along social inclusion and democracy it reflects the spirit that must mark a new era of hemispheric relations, she said.

¨We have a long way to go with many challenges, ¨ Rousseff said when referring to the need to have more security, education and richness for the continent in a climate of peace, development, social justice and equity.

As the essential issues to address by the American countries she mentioned migration, climate change, education and security, what will demand a kind of cooperation based on special attention to the most vulnerable groups.

The Seventh Summit of the Americas marks a new stage of the relations in the continent that aims at living together without rigid recipes, a century of peace and development for all, she concluded

Abel González Alayón

Chief-Editor Language Department

Cuban News Agency