Amnesty International yesterday urged US President Barack Obama to drop the “immoral” US embargo against Cuba, warning that millions were being denied proper healthcare and medicine.
The London-based rights organization issued the appeal days before an annual deadline for the US president to renew its decades-long embargo against Cuba under the Trading with the Enemy Act.
“This is the perfect opportunity for President Obama to distance himself from the failed policies of the past and to send a strong message to the US Congress on the need to end the embargo,” Amnesty International secretary general Irene Khan said.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The group, which published a report yesterday on the economic impact of Washington’s embargo, said Cuba was unable to import medicines, medical equipment and related technologies from the US or any US company based abroad.
“The US embargo against Cuba is immoral and should be lifted. It’s preventing millions of Cubans from benefiting from vital medicines and medical equipment essential for their health,” Khan said.
“Products patented in the USA or containing more than 20 percent US-manufactured parts or components cannot be exported to Cuba, even if they are produced in third countries,” she said.
The US requires that Cuba make progress on democracy before ending the economic embargo on its neighbor, which has been in place since 1962.
Obama has said he would be prepared to make changes in US-Cuban relations and so far has allowed Cuban-Americans to travel home more often and ended limits on the amount of money they send home.
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