News
Block urges Cuba travel ban lifted to help trade
Former Illinois and U.S. Agriculture Secretary John Block says legalizing travel with Cuba will boost U.S. food sales. The Center for Democracy in the Americas held a conference call with Block on Wednesday in Illinois. Block says he supports legislation in Congress seeking to allow all Americans to travel to Cuba because it would increase tourism in Cuba and its demand for food. “They are importing 80 percent of their food, 50 percent of their fuel and – you know – if they had some tourism they’d have more money to spend to buy even more food from the United States,” Block says.Block commends President Obama for relaxing travel restrictions for American-Cubans with family in Cuba, but he says it’s high time the ban were lifted completely. Block says we now have trade relationships with China, Viet Nam and Russia. “There is little ole Cuba, 90 miles from our shore and we can’t bring it to ourselves to start trading and traveling and building a relationship with them which, in my judgment, is the key to transforming that country, eventually, into a friendly democracy.”
Block wants the cash-in-advance rule for Cuba – a holdover from the Bush administration – overturned and he applauds Congress for moving in that direction.
Block is currently senior policy advisor at a D.C. law firm that represents clients regulated by the USDA and FDA.
Add Comment