Christmas Call to Obama over Cuba

HAVANA TIMES, December 21.- As Christmas Day approaches, a long list of US Christian leaders made a call for President-elect Barack Obama to seek rapprochement with Cuba and scrap the travel ban on US citizens visiting the neighboring Caribbean island.

On December 18, the day after 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries meeting in Brazil urged Washington to end the nearly half century US blockade against Cuba, the group of religious leaders sent a letter to Obama calling for a change of course when he takes office in January.

“For decades the U.S. policy toward Cuba has had unfortunate consequences for the Cuban people, while denying important freedoms to Americans,” states the letter adding, “We are convinced that it is time to change the ineffective and counter-productive U.S. policy toward Cuba.”

The religious leaders that signed on the request to Obama are from the following church organizations: American Baptist Churches in the USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Church World Service, National Council of Churches, Disciples of Christ Church, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mennonite Central Committee, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ, reported the Baptist Standard online journal.