Havana, October 15 (RHC-AIN), -- U.S. Reverend Jesse Jackson called to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba over the last 52 years, as published on Tuesday by the Web site of the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper.

“The implacable opposition of the U.S. government to Cuba’s presence in hemispheric meetings has practically offended all our neighbors,” underlined Jackson, who acknowledged that this policy of strangulation against the Caribbean island has contributed to isolate Washington.

Jackson, a prominent civil rights activist and a Baptist pastor, who was a candidate to the presidential primaries of the Democrat Party in 1984 and 1988, assured that the blockade against Cuba should have been lifted decades ago.

“The embargo (blockade) against Cuba has been maintained to a large extent for two reasons. First, (Fidel) Castro made the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the cold warriors feel ashamed, frustrating their attempts to invade the island, destabilize the regime and assassinate him,” highlighted the U.S. religious leader.

The civil rights activist mentioned domestic policy as another important reason to maintain the cruel measure, particularly through the bonds of the White House with Cuba-American voters in the state of Florida.

He underlined that this policy is outdated and that the new generation of Cuban-Americans wants to maintain relations with their country of origin.

Jackson said that this “cold and old-fashioned war” against a small island 90 miles away from U.S. coasts should have been ended long ago.

“Cubans are freer to travel to the United States than Americans to travel to Cuba -emphasized Jackson. Cubans are expanding private property and an encouraging foreign investment.”

The Reverend called upon the U.S. head of state, Barack Obama, to take a constructive step in favor of the elimination of the blockade against Cuba.

“President Obama –he said sententiously- can revive the leadership of the United States in the region and put an end to a historic shame.”