A petition on the U.S. change.org website is asking President Donald Trump to lift economic restrictions on Cuba during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Less than two hours after it was published, at least 400 people had signed it this Thursday night.
The well-known teacher Carlos Lazo, author of the petition, invites Cubans living in the United States and around the world to sign the letter, “men and women of different political or religious beliefs who are joined by the desire for peace and reconciliation between our nations.”
“In the face of the world emergency due to the coronavirus plague, we implore you to lift the commercial and financial restrictions established by the United States towards Cuba,” says the petition, and then explains how the limitations hinder or prevent Cuba from acquiring medical equipment, food and medicines.
“We beg that, at least for the duration of this calamity, the U.S. government extend a friendly and supportive hand to the Cuban people. Failure to do so could cause a humanitarian crisis of incalculable consequences in Cuba.”
And it adds: “We believe that, in this painful hour, political considerations should give way to human considerations.”
Lazo ended the petition alleging Trump’s own words in the face of the crisis about putting aside politics and partisanship, to face the catastrophe.
“We support those words; at this moment, beyond the interests of a party or an individual, the interests of a family and a species must prevail: the human race,” he concluded.
If you want to sign the petition you can do it here.
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