New Haven Calls for an End to 60 year Blockade against Cuba

New Haven has joined a growing number of cities across the country from Hartford to Chicago calling upon the Biden administration to “build a new cooperative relationship between the United States and Cuba and to immediately end all aspects of the United States economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba.”

The urgent need for international cooperation was underscored during the pandemic when Cuba was early to develop a vaccine but, due to the blockade, lacked the syringes necessary to administer the vaccine to its population.

Following a public hearing process, the New Haven Board of Alders adopted the resolution brought forward by the City of New Haven Peace Commission.. New Haven is a United Nations Peace Messenger City.

Joelle Fishman, acting chair of the City of New Haven Peace Commission emphasized the mutual benefit of opening up trade and exchange, citing possibilities for New Haven's economic development and job creation through sharing bio-medical research and breakthroughs as well as best practices in sustainable food production for which Cuba is known.

On Saturday, September 10 at 2 pm Pedroso Cuesta, Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations,will speak at the New Haven Free Public Library in a special community conversation, “New Horizons for US - Cuba Relations.” The event will be held in the community room of the Ives main branch, 133 Elm St.

“Despite the blockade, no Cuban families, unlike in New Haven, are homeless. Despite the blockade, all Cubans, unlike New Haveners, enjoy fully covered first-class healthcare,” said Henry Lowendorf, chair of the Greater New Haven Peace Council.

“We have much to learn from how Cuba manages to guarantee its citizens these rights despite the U.S. noose around its neck. That noose is intended not only to reverse these rights in Cuba but to prevent us from visiting Cuba, seeing for ourselves, and demanding the same rights for ourselves from our own government,” he added.

Resolutions were also passed in Pittsburgh, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Cambridge, Sacramento, Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond and Helena, Montana, State legislative bodies passed resolutions in Alabama, Michigan, California, and Minnesota.

In June 2021 the United Nations, for the 20^th year in a row, in near unanimous vote, called for an end to the 60-year U.S. embargo against Cuba