More than one thousand Britons sign letter to Biden against blockade of Cuba
London, February 7 (RHC)-- More than one thousand signatures have been accumulated in the United Kingdom for an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden to lift the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba in 1962.
The petition was drafted by the British campaign of solidarity with the Caribbean nation on the occasion of the 60th anniversary on February 3 of the officialization of the unilateral measure by means of a decree signed by then President John F. Kennedy.
"You have the power to change the lives of millions of Cubans with the stroke of a pen, and to initiate a path of peace and cooperation with the Cuban people," the text states, after recalling that this anachronistic policy is causing enormous damage to the population of the Antillean country.
While admitting that ending some of the sanctions against Cuba requires action by the U.S. Congress, the letter reminds Biden that there are many others, including those imposed by his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, that can be reversed with an executive order.
"Simple measures such as allowing Cuban families to receive remittances from abroad and removing current restrictions on flights and travel from the United States, and on financial transactions from other countries in order to send medical aid would immediately improve the lives of millions of Cubans."
The open letter published on the Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC) website in the United Kingdom (cuba-solidarity.org.uk) points out that the 60-year unilateral blockade by Washington, coupled with the extra measures imposed by Trump and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, are causing food and medicine shortages on the Caribbean island.
In recent statements, Cuba Solidarity Campaign director Rob Miller recalled that despite promises made during the election campaign, Biden maintains the 240 measures implemented by Trump to tighten the siege.
He also denounced the extraterritorial impact of the blockade, which, he said, tries to prevent them from buying and sending aid, and highlighted that despite these pressures and threats, the Cuba Solidarity Campaign managed to raise 150,000 pounds sterling (more than 200,000 dollars) to acquire medical supplies that helped the Cubans to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the organization that groups thousands of British people in solidarity with Cuba announced a new campaign to collect funds and donations of school supplies to help alleviate the difficulties faced by the Cuban educational system.
