Author: Ana Pereyra Baron
What’s Happening?
Cuba’s dire humanitarian crisis is getting worse. From 2022 to 2023, almost half a million Cuban migrants left their homes and came to the United States. Cubans make this dangerous journey to escape hunger, constant energy blackouts, and shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. US policies on the island help push people to migrate and exacerbate Cuba’s fragile economic situation. On top of the embargo, the USG’s designation of Cuba on the “State Sponsors of Terrorism List” (SSOT) is crippling the economy.
Cuba’s presence on this list is one of the biggest obstacles for Cuba to receive any type of financial transaction from the private sector, faith, and humanitarian organizations for fear of running afoul of U.S. anti-terrorism laws and regulations. This blocks them from helping to address the severe challenges facing the Cuban people–including shortages of food, medicine, and other life-saving items. Despite Candidate Biden’s promise, Cuba remains on the SSOT list to this day.
What’s Going On?
Today, thousands of activists across the country, organized by the National Network on Cuba and the Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE), are uniting to call the White House and demand that Cuba be removed from the SSOT list. Check out this Bust the Cuba Blockade Bingo!
What Can You Do?
We need YOU to CALL President Biden and let him know that the American people are asking for the removal of Cuba from the SSOT list.
- Call the White House switchboard and use the following sample script! (202-456-1414)
“My name is [NAME], from [CITY, TOWN, STATE, ZIP CODE], I am calling to urge President Biden to remove Cuba from the State Department’s State Sponsors of Terrorism List. This designation impedes the work of humanitarian aid groups and damages small business owners independent of the government. Removing Cuba from the SSOT list is in line with Biden’s campaign promise to support the Cuban people. Please consider my request, and thank you for your time.”
It’s time to stand with the people of Cuba!
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