HAVANA (AP) 鈥� Two U.S lawmakers called for a permanent solution to Cuba鈥檚 crises after witnessing the effects of a U.S. energy blockade during an official visit to the .
Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois met with , Foreign Minister Bruno Rodr铆guez and members of Parliament during a five-day trip that ended Sunday.
D铆az-Canel wrote on X Monday that upon meeting with Jayapal and Jackson, he 鈥渄enounced the criminal damage caused by the #blockade, particularly the consequences of the energy embargo imposed by the current U.S. administration and its threats of even more aggressive actions.鈥�
D铆az-Canel added: 鈥淚 reiterated our government鈥檚 willingness to engage in serious and responsible bilateral dialogue and find solutions to our existing differences.鈥�
Both the U.S. and Cuba have acknowledged recently that talks , but no details have been disclosed.
Jayapal told reporters she believes that recent steps taken by Cuba, such as opening the economy to certain investments by Cuban Americans living abroad; the recent announcement that would be pardoned; and to collaborate in the investigation of a fatal shooting involving a U.S.-flagged boat, 鈥渋ndicate that the moment is here for us to have a real negotiation between the two countries and to reverse the failed U.S. policy of decades, a Cold War remnant that no longer serves the American people or the Cuban people.鈥�
Cuba’s government has released the pardoned prisoners who were accused of a variety of crimes, although none so far appear to be political prisoners.
In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump on any country that would sell or provide oil to Cuba, although he made an exception for a Russian ship that reached the island last week with 730,000 barrels of crude oil. It was the first petroleum shipment to dock in Cuba, which produces only 40% of the oil it needs.
鈥淭his is cruel collective punishment 鈥� effectively an economic bombing of the infrastructure of the country 鈥� that has produced permanent damage. It must stop immediately,鈥� Jayapal and Jackson said in a statement released Sunday.
Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. in early January and arrested its then-leader, .
Cubans already suffering from five years of economic crisis have acutely felt the impact of the fuel shortage: national blackouts, gasoline shortages and rationing, lack of public transport, cuts in working hours, paralyzed hospitals and surgeries, and suspension of flights, among other things.
Russia , although it鈥檚 not clear when it might arrive. Experts have said that the first shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba鈥檚 daily demand for nine or 10 days.
Jayapal said that while such shipments are critical, they are only temporary solutions: 鈥淲e need a longer, permanent solution for the Cuban people and the American people.鈥�
Meanwhile, Jackson compared the blocking of the off Iran鈥檚 coast to the oil blockade in Cuba, adding that the island 鈥渋s the most sanctioned part of Earth.鈥�
鈥淥ur government is fighting to keep the Strait of Hormuz open so there is a free flow of oil around the world. We want, for humanitarian reasons, a free flow of oil, fuel, and energy in our own hemisphere,鈥� he said.
Jackson and Jayapal said they would prepare a report and continue to work on initiatives proposed by fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives to lift sanctions against Cuba to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
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