• Submitted by: admin
• Caribbean
• Destinations
• Havana
• international
• North America
• personalities
• Religion
• United States
• Business and Economy
• Politics and Government
• 04 / 07 / 2009

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The president of the Black Caucus of the U.S Congress said in a press conference in the Cuban capital that the religious bonds between the two countries have been cut off for eight years during the Bush administration.

California federal representative Lee, who is accompanied by Congressman Melvin Watt, said they attended religious services on Sunday in Cuba and that when they return to the U.S they will consider ways to bring respective the religious communities from both countries closer.

Lee said Reverends Emanuel Cleaver and Bobby Rush, also members of the U.S congress, gave one sermon each at the Episcopal Cathedral of Havana and at the William Carey Baptist Church, respectively.

She also said they held a very fruitful meeting with representatives of the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Center in Havana.

Watt, from the House of Representatives of North Carolina said he felt very comfortable in each of the churches they visited and noted that the religious services were identical to those in his country, with the difference that they were given in Spanish rather that in English.

He expressed his commitment to work to rebuild and strengthen bilateral religious bonds.

Lee, when answering to a question by the press, said there are more than 100 House representatives who support the lifting of travel restrictions to Americans.

She added that several bills seeking the end of political restrictions towards Cuba have been introduced in the Congress.

The Congresswoman reiterated that 68 percent of Americans want the economic, commercial and financial blockade by her government against the island to be ended.

On February 3, 1962, the then U.S president John F. Kennedy signed the bill that made the economic blockade of Cuba official.

This unilateral and coercive measure has caused material losses to the island of more than 93 billion dollars, which equals some 224 billion dollars at the current rate. The blockade has also brought immeasurable suffering to the Cuban people.
       
(AIN)