Thousands rally at US Embassy in Cuba against trade embargo

Thousands of Cubans joined a protest in front of the US Embassy in Havana on Friday, led by President Miguel Diaz-Canel and former leader Raul Castro, against Washington’s long-running trade blockade.

“Now we are marching to tell the US government to let the Cuban people live in peace. Stop the interference!” Diaz-Canel told the crowd gathered a month before Republican Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Communist Cuba is facing a worsening economic crisis that the government blames on US sanctions that have been in place since 1962 and were tightened during Trump’s first term.

“If we didn’t have the blockade, we wouldn’t be facing this kind of hardship,” said Faustino Miranda, an 85-year-old retiree.

The Caribbean nation is facing food and medicine shortages, frequent blackouts and a wave of migration.

“We need to open the doors to be able to trade with all countries,” Rogelio Savigne, 55, the head of transportation at a state-owned company, told AFP.

Officials said 700,000 people marched in the capital on Friday. AFP was not able to independently verify that number.

Former President Castro, 93, stood at the head of the march alongside Diaz-Canel, who earlier Friday blamed the U.S. embargo for making this year “one of the toughest” for Cuba.

On Tuesday, the country’s deputy foreign minister reiterated his willingness to hold talks with Trump, who will take office on January 20.

During his first term, Trump eased relations between Washington and Havana beginning in 2014.

He imposed 243 measures strengthening sanctions, including adding the island to the US blacklist of “countries that sponsor terrorism” along with Iran and North Korea.

Current US President Joe Biden has kept Cuba on that list but has restarted discussions with Havana on counter-terrorism and tackling illegal migration.