Bishops To Secretary Clinton: Lift Cuba Embargo To Promote Freedom

WASHINGTON—The United States shouldestablish full diplomatic relations and withdraw all restrictions on travel toCuba to advance the cause of human rights and religious liberty, said thechairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace toSecretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Ineliminating all restrictions on travel to Cuba and establishing full diplomaticrelations, Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa said the United States“will be supporting the people of Cuba, our neighbors but 90 miles away, inachieving greater freedom, human rights, and religious liberty plus alsoengaging a trading partner that will benefit American commerce.”

In his April 17 letter, Bishop Pateswelcomed the eased restrictions enacted by the Obama administration last yearand said that his participation in the March 26-28 visit of Pope Benedict XVIto Cuba showed him first-hand how continuing this trend will improve the livesof people of both countries.

“Charitableorganizations, including those of the Catholic Church, provide essential andlife-preserving services to the most marginalized and impoverished Cubans,”Bishop Pates wrote. “The staff members selflessly administering thesefacilities and senior Cuban Church officials responsible for these programsrepeatedly told me that the efficacy of their work was hampered by theirinability to obtain products from the United States due to the trade embargo.”

“TheCatholic Church in our country and in Cuba has long maintained that greater,rather than less, engagement with Cuba can bring about positive change in thatcountry,” Bishop Pates added.

The full text of the letter isavailable online: www.usccb.org/about/international-justice-and-peace/upload/Cuba-Letter_final.pdf

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