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To: President Joe Biden

Use the Lame Duck transition as a turning point on Cuba and Venezuela

Fund for Reconciliation and Development
Dear President Biden,

You have an opportunity during your final months in office to fully undo the maximum pressure campaign against Cuba of the first Trump Administration that has led to to widespread hardship and motivated mass migration.  

Cuban government policies contribute to these problems, but only the US has the power to change the context.

President Biden,  before you leave office you can make history and clear the decks by fully reengaging with Cuba.    President Trump should face the challenge of giving priority to re-imposing his restrictions rather than coasting with them in place.

  • remove Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism

  • enable more normal travel by allowing cruises, use of hotels, independent people to people trips and performances

  • resuspend Title III of the Helms-Burton law to prevent nuisance suits that interfere with US investment and business in Cuba

  • respect again* the humanitarian role of Cuban medical teams that serve in other countries

I hope that Cuba will respond by undoing the internal impact of Trump's first term to prepare for his second mandate.  Prisoners can be released who  protested living conditions worsened by US maximum pressure.  Cuba ought to undertake greater reform of economic and social policies as desired by its people and contribute to finding a political solution for Venezuela.

Why is this important?

During his first term, President Trump left in place for nearly two years most of the Obama opening with Cuba.  A key actor in creating maximum pressure against Cuba and Venezuela was the now hostile and alienated former National Security Advisor John Bolton.**  

For more than sixty years US and Cuban national interests and human well-being have been paralyzed by a conflict over sovereignty, self-determination and freedom with two centuries old roots.***   The historic transformation begun by Barack Obama and Raul Castro was virtually destroyed by Donald Trump in the second half of his first term and only partially rebuilt by Joe Biden.

By President Biden restoring mutual engagement, he can rebuild trust and open the door for the second Trump Administration to act positively.  Ending all travel restrictions (including on normal tourism), dismantling the UN condemned unilateral embargo and returning the Guantanamo base and prison that was obtained as a condition for independence, the US can give Cuba space and resources to find more creative national solutions to economic, social and political problems. 

It can also create the possibility of US and Cuban cooperation with efforts by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to find a peaceful solution to the political conflict in Venezuela.


Resources:

* Trump's Venezuela and Cuba policy in focus in Bolton speech in Florida

** Then Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power announces US abstention on the embargo resolution
https://cubapeopletopeople.blogspot.com/2021/05/ambassador-samantha-powers-address-to.html

*** The underlying historical problem between the US and Cuba
https://cubapeopletopeople.blogspot.com/2019/05/louis-perez-cuba-as-obsessive.html

Links between Irish and Cuban nationalism in 19th century New York  
tinyurl.com/CubaIrelandNY   

How it will be delivered

To President Biden

Partner

Links

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Updates

2024-11-13 05:34:26 -0500

500 signatures reached

2024-10-20 12:10:21 -0400

The repeated collapse of all of Cuba's electrical system has added urgency to this appeal. Please circulate the link to friends, colleagues and on social media.
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/make-this-election-a-turning-point-on-cuba-and-venezuela#timeline

2024-09-19 13:57:15 -0400

100 signatures reached

2024-09-09 17:43:10 -0400

50 signatures reached

2024-09-09 13:53:04 -0400

25 signatures reached

2024-09-09 12:58:41 -0400

10 signatures reached