Washington, August 27 (RHC)-- U.S. Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee has described Washington's blockade against Cuba as "obsolete and harmful," and said that she will work to achieve "a more intelligent and humane policy" towards the Caribbean island nation.

A member of the House of Representatives for California since 1998, Lee recalled that she has deployed her efforts in Washington's policy towards Cuba for four decades, and that she is committed to lifting the "failed embargo (blockade) on Cuba."

"The United States should support the efforts of the Cuban people to build a peaceful and prosperous society, which can satisfy the hopes and needs of the Cuban people.  And we see the Cuban people organizing to achieve this,” the president of the Congressional Black Caucus (2009-2011) stressed in a statement.

“But the U.S. policy continues to be based on the idea that punishing Cubans is somehow helping them,” she emphasized, recalling that during the Barack Obama administration, some important measures were adopted “to rethink our strategy towards Cuba."

However, the Donald Trump administration “not only undid those measures, but expanded the embargo, accusing Cuba of being a state sponsor of terrorism,” Barbara Lee noted.

She commented that President Joe Biden has adopted “a series of small, important and positive measures.”  “We have begun to speak again with the Cuban government on issues of mutual interest, such as migration and law enforcement.  We have increased our diplomatic and consular presence, and we have taken measures to encourage travel and trade.”

For the U.S. lawmaker, “these steps remain only symbolic changes in a policy that continues to isolate and punish the Cuban people.  After six decades of failure, it is time for the United States to try something different,” because in the end it is “the Cuban people who are paying the price."  (Source: Prensa Latina)