1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

For over sixty years, Administration after Administration has tried to force Cuba, its government and its people to bend to its will. Some of this was in the context of the Cold War, more of it was in revenge for revolutionary Cuba’s expulsion of American businesses, including sugar production and casinos. Year after year this policy has failed, unless the ultimate goal was to increase suffering and hardship for the population of the island - in which case it has succeeded brilliantly. The current Trump embargo, much like the mad king’s proposal for beachfront hotels in Gaza, is merely a ploy to starve the island into submission so he can build more failing casinos and hotels. One thing is certain - America’s policy towards the country has only resulted in a hardening of the regime’s repression towards those of its citizens who desire a multi-party democracy. We have no business dictating to the Cuban people how to run their country. Think what could be accomplished with human aid and diplomacy instead of embargoes that do nothing to hurt the regime’s leaders, and everything to harm the citizens and most vulnerable. Congress needs to speak out against this atrocity. An embargo is an act of war, and only Congress has the authority to declare it.