Cuba's Parliament demands end to US embargo

Cuba's parliament, National Assembly of People's Power, held a special hearing "Cuba in face of two pandemics" on Friday demanding lifting of US embargo.

Parliamentarians and experts spoke for several hours on wide-ranging effects 60-plus years of US embargo has h on island nation and new hardships it is now experiencing because of worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Figures provided to United Nations by Cuban government estimated that annual losses due to Washington's sanctions between 2019 and 2020 alone reached $5.5 billion dollars (US).

Gross Domestic Product of Cuba decreased by 11% in 2021.

direct effect on Cuba's 11-million citizens is shortage of food and medicines.

Cuba is also struggling to purchase syringes and or goods necessary for COVID-19 vaccines y have developed locally.

During meeting, held in Havana's restored Capital building, images of supporters from or countries asking for an end to embargo were displayed on large screens.

Among those invitees was former US Representative James Moran, a Democrat from Virginia.