Under the guise of “helping the Cuban people,”  the current president has reinstated some restrictions on travel and trade that had been lifted by executive order during the Obama administration. One of the restrictions announced forbids individuals from travelling under the people to people travel category, requiring them to travel with a group. Another change forbids U.S. citizens or companies to do business with tourist sites in Cuba controlled by the the Cuban military. For more information click here.

As faith communities and human rights organizations in Cuba, the U.S. and around the world have long asserted, the human rights of Cubans and the people of the U.S. would best be served by lifting all travel restrictions and finally ending the rest of the embargo.  Congress needs to act to end these restrictions permanently!   There are currently bi-partisan bills in the House and Senate to finally end the travel restrictions and the embargo.  In Illinois we are concentrating on the House of Representatives, since IL Senators are (or soon will be co-sponsors of the Senate bills.

Now while the restrictions are in the news, take a moment to call your Illinois Representative (click here to find their contact info) and ask them to co-sponsor three bi-partisan bills in the House to end restrictions on travel and trade:HR 525, HR 442 and HR 351. For more info on bills, current Illinois sponsors and a sample script click here.

Working together we have made a lot of progress and we will keep working until these harmful restrictions are ended! 

Questions? Contact Marilyn McKenna at the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN) at 773-293-3680 or mmckenna@crln.org with questions or if you need assistance. Thanks to the Latin American Working Group for providing information for this alert.