Cubans living in America are campaigning for the Trump administration to lift sanctions on Cuba because of the coronavirus epidemic.
The Cuba Solidarity Network in the United States is demanding an end to the economic blockade against the Caribbean island in a statement published on local media.
The communiqué acknowledges Cuba's medical work to fight COVID-19 by sending thousands of health professionals to countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
However, the US response has been more than shameful and irresponsible, says the declaration, regarding the US Department of State's warning on those who request assistance from Cuba.
According to the Department of State, Cuba offers those medical missions 'to recover the money it lost when the countries stopped participating in that abusive program'.
However, the Solidarity Network is outraged by this characterisation of Cuba's medical solidarity. “Cubans were in Haiti after the earthquake, in Africa fighting Ebola, they even offered their help to the US victims of Hurricane Katrina,” the document stresses.
Cuba's medical solidarity is a pillar of its society and is based on the concept of health care as a human right, in contrast to the US, where 27 million people have no medical insurance and they cannot have a sick leave.
“These are times of solidarity, not blockades,” stresses the document, signed by 40 US organisations that make up the Cuba Solidarity Network.
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