New York, NY - This week, Senator Lugar of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released a draft report calling for the reconsideration of the United States' unilateral embargo on Cuba. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) issued the following statement in response:

"The Center for Constitutional Rights is encouraged by Senator Lugar's recent letter and his staff's draft report confronting the naked failure of the US embargo against Cuba. The fact that Sen. Lugar's staff issued this report after traveling to Cuba reinforces the problems of creating policy and law from within the isolated shadows of sanctions.  Not only have 47 years of sanctions failed to achieve the goals of the United States Government, but they have alienated the United States from the international community in the Americas, Europe and the United Nations who have steadfastly rejected the US' embargo and have violated the fundamental rights of Americans to freely travel."

Since 1997, the Center has joined efforts to rescind the travel embargo and has represented over 425 individuals accused of violating the travel embargo.  The Center has also helped train hundreds of attorneys to handle similar cases. For more information on the travel restrictions to Cuba or to learn more about CCR's work, see CCR's Reports and Publications page.