Senator Wyden introduces bill to end US blockade on Cuba

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, Democrat from Oregon, introduced the US-Cuba Trade Act of 2021 to repeal the sanctions that make up the economic, financial and trade blockade that Washington has imposed on Cuba for nearly six decades and establish normal trade relations with the Caribbean nation.

A press release issued by Senator Wyden´s office states that ¨Our nation´s blockade on Cuba is an artifact from the 1960s. To continue this outdated, harmful policy of isolation would be a failure of US leadership. While Donald Trump increased tensions with Cuba during his disastrous time in office, I´m optimistic about President Joe Biden´s new diplomatic course¨.

The release added that ¨regardless, the US Congress has a moral and economic obligation to the US people to improve US-Cuban relations as swiftly and safely as possible.¨

If passed, the bill would repeal the major statutes that codify sanctions against Cuba, including Section 620 (a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; the Helms-Burton Act of 1996 and the Cuban Democracy Act.