U. S. Delegates Visit Cuba, Demand End to Trump’s Energy Blockade

Democratic Delegation Visits Havana to Spotlight U.S. Oil Embargo Impact

A pair of Democratic congressmen, Pramila Jayapal and Jonathan Jackson, spent five days in Havana to witness firsthand how a U.S. oil embargo has harmed ordinary Cubans. They met with President Miguel Diaz‑Canel, Cuban lawmakers and officials at the foreign ministry. The visit came after President Trump tightened restrictions on remittances, threatened tariffs against countries that supply oil to Cuba and labeled the island a state sponsor of terrorism.

During their stay, the lawmakers toured a struggling oncology unit and a maternity ward, both suffering from long‑standing shortages that have worsened under the embargo. They described Cuba’s situation as “the most sanctioned part of Planet Earth right now, just 90 miles off our shores,” and urged Washington to “bring the rhetoric down.” The delegation highlighted that the blockade is illegal and has no humanitarian justification.

The visit also revealed some signs of easing tension. Cuba recently invited exiles to invest in local businesses, welcomed an FBI probe into a deadly sea incursion, and announced a mass pardon of about 2,000 prisoners. Jayapal said these steps suggest the time is right for real negotiations that would replace decades of Cold War‑era policy. Both lawmakers promised to push for legislation that lifts ineffective sanctions and keeps the U.S. from escalating conflict with Cuba, warning that continued isolation could trigger a wave of migration and further suffering.

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