Advocacy and human rights groups, faith organizations, Cuban-American groups, environmental, academic and business organizations this Wednesday sent a letter to the Biden-Harris administration urging it to take immediate action to fulfill a campaign pledge: to reverse the failed Trump policies that inflicted harm on Cubans and their families.
The document, signed by 56 organizations, recommends specific policies that, in their opinion, should be taken to initiate a more constructive engagement policy towards Cuba. And they base this on the fact that it is both in the national interest of the United States and of the Cuban people to move rapidly towards more normal relations. Finally, they call on Congress to initiate and pass legislative measures to end the U.S. embargo.
For the president of the Washington Office for Latin America (WOLA), Geoff Thale, “the policies of the Trump era did nothing to promote either the relationship between the United States and Cuba, or the welfare of the people. Cuban. Important events are taking place on the island and growing support in the United States for more open relations with Cuba. The Biden-Harris administration should reverse Trump’s policies and then take steps forward. Doing so would open a space for cooperation and dialogue on issues ranging from the environment and climate change to law enforcement, cooperation in health and human rights.”
For her part, Lisa Haugaard, co-director of the Latin American Working Group, maintains: “The Biden-Harris administration has the power to put Cuba policy back on the right track with an executive signature. It is time to return to dialogue between our nations and to free our peoples to work together on the problems we all face.” And María José Espinosa, Acting Executive Director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas: “The policies of the Trump administration have only served to undermine American interests, harm the Cuban people and limit the ways in which Cuban Americans can support their families. during a pandemic and the current economic crisis on the island. Compromise is the best way to promote the interests of the United States and those of the Cuban people. It provides an opportunity for dialogue and cooperation on a wide range of issues, from human rights to national security, and it is the best way for Cubans to determine their own future. The Biden-Harris administration must follow an immediate engagement policy.”
The recommendations are part of a broad effort to normalize relations, increase engagement between the two countries and end the embargo. In exclusive statements to OnCuba, Mariakarla Nodarse, Deputy General Counsel of Cancio Consulting Group (CCG), said: “The letter sent to President Biden today contains specific recommendations aimed at resuming the path towards normalization of bilateral relations. U.S. policy should not continue to be used as a weapon that only hurts Cuban families. Our new advocacy division at the GCC focuses on initiatives aimed at stimulating the lifting of the economic embargo, believing that we have a favorable environment to abandon outdated laws and policies that for too long have perpetuated mutual isolation.” This organization advises U.S. and foreign multinationals, financial institutions, private companies, and investors interested in the Cuban market in a variety of matters that include government relations, market analysis, risk assessment, and business opportunity assessment, among others.
