Cuba relations: Advocates call for end to U.S. embargo

Advocates and elected officials recently convened for forums in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to call for the end of the United States embargo on Cuba. The discussions focused on normalizing relations with the neighboring island and advancing Cuban sovereignty.

In Washington, D.C., the Institute of the Black World 21st Century hosted a national forum featuring keynote speaker Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, former Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Participants included Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío and several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Progressive Caucus, such as Representatives Yvette Clarke, Gregory Meeks, and Jonathan Jackson.

In Baltimore, a report from the Centenary of Fidel Brigade highlighted the practical impacts of the blockade on Cuban infrastructure. Observers noted that the inability to import construction materials has severely affected the country's plumbing and utility systems.