Washington. – (Agencies) A group of 26 Democrats in the House of Representatives has urged President Joe Biden to ease US sanctions against Cuba to help the international distribution of the Caribbean island’s anticovid vaccines.
In a letter headed by Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), lawmakers praised Biden’s loosening of some travel and remittance restrictions to Cuba, while that requested bilateral cooperation in public health.
«As an initial step, we ask that you review US policy toward Cuba to facilitate greater global equity in vaccines, with a particular focus on ensuring that Washington sanctions do not impede the island’s current or future efforts to share vaccines.» anti-COVID-19 and related technology and medical support with low-income countries around the world,» the congressmen wrote.
The current White House administration has shown its willingness to slowly reconsider the restrictions imposed on the ancient Antillean archipelago by former President Donald Trump, particularly in political areas with humanitarian ramifications.
«We agree with his government’s approach that seeks to ‘address the humanitarian situation and respond to the needs of the Cuban people,’» the lawmakers wrote.
The Democrats’ call is also based on the need for COVID-19 vaccines for low-income countries that cannot afford those that have become widespread in richer countries, or where conditions make their distribution difficult because they require special care. such as refrigeration.
«While more than 75% of people in high-income countries have received at least one dose, only 10% of people in low-income nations have received at least one dose,» the letter’s signatories said. .
Cuba has a vaccination rate against COVID-19 of more than 90%, despite limitations on the importation of precursors and equipment to develop its own vaccination program.
Lawmakers said Cuban vaccines, produced at low cost with limited infrastructure, could help the goal of distributing cheap and effective vaccines around the world.
«US sanctions on Cuba directly impede that purpose, not only by damaging the country’s ability to vaccinate its own population, but also by putting obstacles in the way of the Caribbean nation’s ability to produce and distribute its vaccine to others. countries that continue to face shortages,» the Democrats said.
Regarding the process of reviewing vaccines of the World Health Organization with respect to those developed in Cuba, they recalled that «Cuba and the WHO have met twice to begin the process of the Emergency Use List, and the effectiveness of these vaccines has been further demonstrated by the sharp declines in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Cuba since the vaccination campaign.»
Democrats asked the White House occupant to address specific policies that hinder medical cooperation, including Cuba’s removal from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, «which restricts and intimidates financial institutions from allowing related transactions with medical equipment», and the addition of Cuban vaccines to the list of vaccines recognized by the United States.
"An Island on a Continent" 