Concerned leaders and activists in the United States have issued an urgent call in the Sunday edition of the New York Times, demanding that Biden temporarily lift sanctions and allow Cuba to purchase urgently needed supplies for reconstruction after Hurricane Ian.
Biden needs to act right now to help the Cuban people. Hurricane Ian caused great devastation. The power grid was damaged and the electrical system collapsed. More than 50,000 homes have been completely destroyed or severely damaged.
On her Twitter account, the Cuban ambassador to the United States Lianys Torres Rivera wrote:
The current blockade regulations are a major obstacle to all the purchases, and the financial transactions associated with them, that will have to be made for Cuba’s recovery from the enormous damage of Hurricane Ian. @PeoplesForumNYC #BestNoBlockade #ByeByeBlockade pic.twitter.com/CNoi9J0NmX
– Lianys Torres Rivera (@lianystr) October 2, 2022
TEXT OF THE APPEAL PUBLISHED IN NYTIMES
LET CUBA REBUILD ITSELF
Urgent Appeal to President Biden
US sanctions and embargo prevent Cuba from rebuilding after Hurricane Ian.
The Biden Administration needs to act right now to help the Cuban people. Hurricane Ian caused great devastation. The power grid was damaged and the electrical system collapsed. More than 4,000 homes have been completely destroyed or severely damaged.
Cuba must be allowed, even for the next six months, to purchase the necessary building materials to REBUILD. Cubans are facing a major humanitarian crisis because of Hurricane Ian.
Despite Cuba’s well-known preparedness for natural disasters, the damage from this hurricane has been immense. In the western province of Pinar del Río, famous for its tobacco production, more than 5,000 farms were destroyed. In small towns like San Luis, 80% of all houses were damaged.
People around the world are eager to sell building materials and provide aid, but the US embargo and sanctions policy against Cuba threatens US and other companies to do business with Cuba, even for the most basic goods and materials. This same policy also deters and makes it almost impossible for organizations in the US to send aid in a timely manner.
Cuba is also prevented from processing many financial transactions because the Trump administration absurdly placed it on the list of state sponsors of terrorism simply for hosting internationally recognized peace talks in Colombia.
It is inconceivable to undertake collective punishment against an entire people by preventing Cuba from buying construction materials or receiving aid at this critical hour.
President Biden set Cold War politics aside, even for six months!
The people of Cuba are part of our family, the human family. Don’t let outdated Cold War policies stop the world from helping the Cuban people rebuild and return to their homes, rebuild the power grid, and have clean drinking water and access to food. The time to act is now!
Cuba is our neighbor. People from all over the world want to help!
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