St. Paul, August 12 (RHC)— A group of 11 State Senators and Representatives from Minnesota has addressed a letter to the Governor of that state, Tim Walz, communicating the legislative resolution that requests arrangements with Cuba to obtain assistance and crucial expertise for the residents of Minnesota amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the text, the state lawmakers urge the Governor to learn from the island´s medical and scientific success in dealing with COVID-19 and the United States’ ever-surging pandemic.

“Shortly before our adjournment Sine Die at the end of May, Senator Sandy Pappas authored S.F. 4619, a resolution urging Gov. Walz reach to out to Cuba to help Minnesota deal with the COVID-19 pandemic,” “The companion bill, H.F. 4690, was introduced in the House by Representative John Lesch,” the letter reads.

It adds that “as the state that may now be best known as the place where George Floyd was killed, we have an obligation to our people of color and indigenous communities to demonstrate our commitment to addressing the vast disparity in the impact of the pandemic on their populations.”

“Our resolution recognizes that Cuba has a long history of providing medical aid to other countries during Ebola, swine flu, dengue and other epidemics where it has sent its specially trained Henry Reeve brigades, often at no cost, to many of the world’s poorest nations,” the letter said.

And it continued stating that “Cuba has had great success with its research into COVID-19 treatments. Unfortunately, these drugs are not yet available here due to the U.S. embargo. However, clinical trials are going on in other countries that could make them available in the U.S. at some point.” 

Senator Pappas said she was hopeful this letter and information in the resolution would start a conversation and lead to the Walz Administration reaching out to Cuba for medical assistance and scientific data to help the state of Minnesota combat the coronavirus.