Chicago City Council Passes Resolution To End US Blockade on Cuba

The Chicago City Council passed on Wednesday a resolution demanding the end of the U.S. blockade on Cuba. Resolution R2020-612 highlights that "Chicago's citizens, institutions, and businesses are also negatively affected by these added restrictions that violate their right to travel and harm economic opportunities that enhanced trade with Cuba would initiate."

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Chicago is the largest U.S. city to pass an anti-blockade resolution to date. However, the pressure is growing within the United States to undo the 59 years old unilateral policy. On February 5, the Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden introduced a bill to lift Cuba's blockade.

Also, the text of the resolution highlights that the "City of Chicago would greatly benefit by the restoration of trade with the Republic of Cuba, through permitting the export of industrial and agricultural products to this neighboring nation of 11 million people and the importation of Cuban products useful to Chicago such as life-saving medicines Herberprot-p and CIMAvax."

Moreover, "businesses and institutions in Chicago have expressed a very strong interest in providing their products and services to Cuba, importing Cuban products, and cooperating with Cuban institutions in the development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as biomedical research and procedures,"  the text highlights.