Time to end US sanctions on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela now Trump has gone
Trump's administration intensified illegal U.S sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua in the last 4 years with the aim of forcing 'regime change' - deeply damaging their respective economies and societies, including efforts to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
With Joe Biden now in the White House, now is the time to call for constructive engagement and an end to sanctions that harm the people of these Latin American and Caribbean nations. The damage that US sanctions have imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua is huge. In the case of Cuba, the six-decade-long blockade is estimated to have caused losses to its economy of over US$144 billion (£105bn).
At its core is the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which authorizes the US President to establish and maintain a total embargo on trade with Cuba and prohibits the authorization of any aid to the Cuban government. The effects have been similarly far-reaching, with the Washington-based Centre for Economic and Policy Research calculating that US sanctions led to more than 40,000 deaths in 2017-18 alone.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, these sanctions have had an even greater effect by restricting all three countries’ ability to buy medicines and equipment to address the current health emergency.
Finally, a change of presidency potentially offers an opportunity for constructive engagement and dialogue with President Biden, but given his track record and position to date, a dialogue that could benefit all three countries cannot be assured.
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