The Honorable Joseph
R. Biden
President of the United States of America The White House Washington,
DC
Dear President
Biden,
The nationwide failure of the power system in Cuba offers opportunity and
necessity for the US to act from humanitarian concern for the wellbeing of
close neighbors already suffering from shortages of food and medical supplies.
Failure to do so will result in greater pain for innocent people and additional
spill-over of migrants to the US who will seek admission and residence under
the Cuban Adjustment Act.
We urge you to provide immediately substantial emergency nutritional and
medical assistance through American and international religious and non-governmental
organizations working with Cuban health agencies and educational institutions.
As much as possible the US in consultation with the government of Cuba should also
provide assistance that directly responds to the power system failure, such as
enabling supplies of fuel oil and providing technical expertise and parts to
repair the aging electrical grid. (The experience and expertise of
Puerto Rico may be applicable.)
US failure to respond in a timely fashion to the fire in the oil tanks in
Matanzas in August 2022 contributed to the current crisis by the loss of
storage capacity and may have cost 14 lives. The US gift of firefighting
equipment was deeply appreciated but came too late to help that situation.
As persons who have sought productive engagement for many years, we understand
and regret that the policies and priorities of both countries have contributed
to current grave problems. We urge that Cuba and the US address
underlying factors that created the present economic, energy, health and
migration crisis after our Presidential election.
Most urgent is to
completely undo President Trump’s politically motivated restrictions on travel
and his legally unjustified listing of Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, as
well as to encourage Cuba's release of July 2021 protestors of the devastating economic
impact of his policies. It is also appropriate
to foster direct and multilateral investment in renewable energy systems such
as wind and solar.
In closing Mr.
President, we recall that during your presidential campaign you promised to
restore positive initiatives with Cuba and forge a path towards greater
normalization of relations between our two deeply connected nations. Potentially this terrible humanitarian crisis
is an opportunity for you as the leader of the most powerful nation to do the
right thing now and provide the people of Cuba with US aid.
Sincerely,
Dr. Philip Brenner, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, American University, author of “Cuba Libre: A 500-Year Quest for Independence” and “Contemporary Cuba: The Post-Castro Era”, involved 50 years
Harold Cardenas Lema, Director, La Joven Cuba, MIA Columbia University, born in Cuba, involved 14 years
Dr. Aisha Z. Cort Hamilton Assistant Professor of Afro-Laitnx Issues & Social Movements, Bucknell University, forthcoming book “Representing Race in Revolutionary Cuba: Afrocubania, negrometraje, and cultural production, 1961-1996”, involved 28 years
Dr. Susan Eckstein, Professor Emerita, Boston University, author of seven books including "Cuban Privilege: The Making of Immigrant Inequality in America" and “The Immigrant Divide: How Cuban Americans Changed the U.S. and Their Homeland”, involved 30 years
Jorge Ignacio Fernandez, Founder & President, Hope for Cuba Foundation, born in Cuba, involved 27 years
Vicki Gass, Executive Director, Latin America Working Group, organization involved 20 years
Peter Kornbluh, co-author “Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana”, involved 32 years
Rosa Lowinger, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Conservation, New York University Institute of Fine Arts, author of "Dwell Time", "Tropicana Nights", "Promising Paradise". born in Cuba, involved 32 years
John F. McAuliff, Executive Director, Fund for Reconciliation and Development, NGO advocacy, research on Irish links to Cuba, involved 27 years
Dr. Louis A. Pérez Jr., Professor, Department of History, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, author of seven books including “Cuba: Between Reform and Revolution” and “On Becoming Cuban: Identity, Nationality and Culture”, involved 30 years
Dr. Julio Vernon Ruiz, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Geriatric, University of Miami, born in Cuba, involved 64 years
Lee Schlenker, Policy Director at ACERE, MA candidate in Latin American Studies, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, involved 10 years