Havana, September 29 (RHC)-- The governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas, Republican Asa Hutchinson, emphasized that the U.S. Congress should lift the over-fifty-year economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba.

In exclusive statements to Prensa Latina news agency, Hutchinson said that it is up to U.S. lawmakers to take the next step to follow up on the measures announced over the past few months by President Barack Obama.

It is crucial that the U.S. Congress eliminate the prohibitions on the Caribbean nation to obtain credit to purchase food, not only in the state of Arkansas, but throughout the United States, the governor noted.

Under current conditions, in which Cuba has to purchase those products in cash and in advance, it is very difficult for U.S. producers to sell large amounts of merchandise and the island has purchase those goods in Brazil, Thailand and other markets, he said.

Governor Hutchinson said that his delegation has for months emphasized in Congress the need to pass legislation that allows Havana to obtain credit for such transactions and said he supports Republican senator John Boozman, who has launched an initiative to lift unilateral U.S. sanctions against Cuba.

The governor said that his visit aims at bringing Arkansas on the front-line of all kind of relations with Cuba. Hutchinson is heading a large delegation that arrived September 26th and will be in Cuba until Wednesday, September 30th.

The delegation includes representatives of nearly 20 agricultural companies, particularly in the food business, fertilizers, oil, the pharmaceutical sector and state officials.