NLC charts path to unlock blockage against Cuba by U.S.

THE move by the President of the United States, Barak Obama to remove the 54 years old blockage against Cuba is met by stiff opposition from the recalcitrant US Congress, reliance on executive directive to circumvent the restrictions by the President may provide the leeway to normalizing relations between the two countries, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said.

Speaking while receiving the Ambassador of NLC therefore urged President Obama to continue the normalization of relations with Cuba by further invoking the executive prerogatives available to him by authorizing the use of the US dollar in international transactions by Cuba and consent that the transactions be carried out through the US banking system as well as make it possible for Cuban banks and firms to open corresponding accounts in US banks.

Adeyemi added that Obama should also authorize direct exports of US products to Cuba and permit Cuba to import from third countries products that contain some US components.

According to him, other authorizations within the power of Obama is to eliminate the limit on the value of Cuban products American tourists visiting Cuba may import for personal use or gifts, and above all, permit the granting of credits, loans, and financing in general to Cuba in order to acquire more products on the US market, among others.

While commending the rest of the world for standing by Cuba by voting massively for the removal of the blockage except for US and Israel that opposed the United Nations resolution, Congress recognized that although the UN resolutions is not enforceable even if adopted by all countries, he added that an overwhelming adoption again by the international community will continue to become a ‘shame’ and moral crisis on the US legislators and force their hands to appreciate revoking the sanctions.

NLC also called on the government of Nigeria to lend its weight in building a powerful Africa solidarity on the deal of US blockage of Cuba, adding that, doing so is in tandem with both the letters and spirit of this movement in world history.
Adeyemi note that Cuba has been denied access to imported critical machinery for its industries, pharmaceutical products and food, technology for educational advancement, and financial facilities from international institutions, which has cumulatively costs the country about $833.7 billion.

He explained: “To worsen the blockade, the United States does not only forbid meaningful tourism by its citizens to Cuba, its companies and financial institutions within and outside the country are prohibited from doing business with Cuba. Any third party country that does so is heavily penalized and blacklisted by the US government. The country cannot use the US dollar in its international financial transactions nor can it hold accounts in banks of third countries. Invariably, the country is not permitted to have access to credit in US banks, their branches in third countries and international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).”