The histories and flags of Cuba and Puerto Rico are closely intertwined, and the people of both islands have been severely hurt by recent hurricanes. Most U.S. media almost ignored the fact that as a Category 5 Hurricane, Irma for 72 hours tore into Cuba. As 65 members of Congress including Rep. Kathy Castor from Tampa, FL and Milwaukee’s Rep. Gwen Moore, wrote, “Cuba absorbed much of the impact from Hurricane Irma which lessened the damage to southern Florida and the United States.” They asked Pres. Trump to use his power to allow U.S. companies just to sell re-construction materials to Cubans, and he has not responded so far. President Trump suspended just for 10 days the Jones Act restrictions on shipping to Puerto Rico – this has expired while the crisis continues. Cuba is rebuilding, while still under a U.S. “economic blockade” which has blocked hurricane relief funds coming from as far away as Turkey. But most Cubans do not face the continuing lack of electricity and drinkable water which threatens the lives of many of our sisters & brothers in Puerto Rico.

To help you can both ACT and DONATE.

Question: Is this Havana, Cuba or San Juan, Puerto Rico? [Answer: Havana, Sept. 10, 2017, by Ramon Espinoza, AP]

ACT by asking Pres. Trump to suspend for at least one year: 1) the provision of the Jones Act which limits shipment of goods to Puerto Rico, to U.S. ships; and 2) the administrative regulations which restrict U.S. suppliers from even SELLING reconstruction supplies to Cuba. Try: Comments:202-456-1111, Switchboard: 202-456-1414 or https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse/ 

To DONATE, of the many good places, for Puerto Rico we suggest a well respected community based movement, www.mariafund.org; and for Cuba, http://www.MEDICC.org, for which we raised over $2,000 so far, which was matched 4 to 1, and all of it going to Cuba through this US/Cuba medical cooperation group. We still accept such donations, made out to MEDICC, & sent to The Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, 633 W. Wisconsin Ave., SUITE 1410, Milwaukee, WI 53203

This image shows the storm over Cuba. The eye of the storm is right by Milwaukee’s old sister city of Nuevitas, which is on the northern coast of Cuba

Cuba is the only area affected by the recent hurricanes which is subject to U.S. economic sanctions (as it has been for over 50 years). It is also the only nation in the area which has sent over 700 doctors and medical personnel to aid people in other Caribbean islands devastated by hurricane – and then to Mexico after the earthquakes. See Irma: Cuba sends hundreds of doctors to Caribbean islands devastated by hurricane, Sept. 9, 2017, The Independent (UK).

Sponsored by Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, https://wicuba.wordpress.com

633 West Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1410 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 273-1040 Like us on Facebook or email:contact@wicuba.org