As the U.S. blockade on Cuba intensifies, many are sounding the alarm regarding the heavy humanitarian toll of “unilateral coercive measures” used in regime change operations. Recently, a study published in the Lancet, found that these measures cause an average of nearly 600,000 deaths around the world each year – comparable to the toll from armed conflict – mostly among children under 5 years old.
On April 22, Congresswoman Delia Ramírez hosted a briefing on the Humanitarian Impact of Sanctions – Cuba as a Case Study.
Highlighted at the briefing was this recent report by Mark Weisbrot and colleagues on sanctions and the “sharp rise in infant mortality in Cuba.”As expected, the findings reveal devastation caused by US policy, especially increases in infant mortality.
One of the proudest accomplishments of the Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan revolutions has been the right to health, guaranteed to all citizens through universal healthcare. These countries have some of the best child health indicators in the world, but those gains are threatened by unilateral coercive measures, especially those imposed by the United States.
At the briefing, U.S Health Workers shared this letter to the US Government calling for an end to sanctions and to stop killing children.
We are grateful to Congresswomen Ramirez and Velazquez’ for their work to raise awareness in Congress of the need to stop using unilateral sanctions, calling for better US policy towards our neighbors and for introducing key legislation including H.R. 1056 to annul the Monroe Doctrine.