Sir, - An intensified and illegal US economic blockade, preventing oil and other essential products from reaching Cuba, has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis for 10 million people on the Caribbean island.
While a US blockade of Cuba has been in place for 64 years, the most recent restrictions on oil imports have resulted in daily electricity blackouts, food shortages and the closure of hospitals, schools and workplaces. The siege has forced the shutdown of public transport, waste collection and of international airline services while children are suffering from dengue fever and malnutrition.
The blockade, which is in breach of international law, follows the illegal abduction of Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro and his wife, in Caracas earlier this year and their detention in the US. This followed the interception by the US of vessels carrying oil from Venezuela, including to Cuba.
For three years, the US government armed and supported the genocide by Israeli forces in Gaza. More than 70,000 people have been killed there, while homes, hospitals, mosques and other buildings across the strip have been destroyed.
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In their most recent bombing of Iran, the US and Israel have once again breached international law, undermined the long-established rules-based order and institutions, ignored the United Nations appeal to halt the bombardment and defied the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Following the war on Ukraine and genocide in Gaza, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, Binyamin Netanyahu and others. In response, the US government unjustly targeted judges of the court with travel and banking restrictions.
The latest actions by the Trump administration represent a significant escalation of its attempts to destabilise the Cuban government by starving its population. The Cuban government has accused Donald Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, of “psychological warfare” against its people and has called on the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance.
As concerned citizens, members of trade unions, progressive parties, NGOs and charities, we are calling on the Irish Government to urgently intervene, along with the EU. It must call on the US administration to immediately lift the illegal blockade of Cuba and provide the supplies of fuel, food and medical aid required to alleviate the suffering of its people. – Yours, etc,
PHIL Ní SHEAGHDHA, president, Ictu
JOHN KING, general secretary, Siptu,
MARY LOU MCDONALD TD,
HOLLY CAIRNS TD,
IVANA BACIK TD,
RICHARD BOYD BARRETT TD,
Full list of signatories at siptu.ie
