EDITORIAL - The Libertarian Party of the United States is calling for a change in American foreign policy with Cuba, saying the current policy hurts American businesses and Cuban citizens. "The current U.S. policy towards Cuba hurts American businesses by denying them access to the Cuban market, which in turn hurts the Cuban people by denying them the benefits of trade with the United States," says William Redpath, national chairman of the Libertarian Party.

"There have been two victims of the 45-year embargo on Cuba, and neither are the Cuban government," says Redpath. "American agriculture and trade industries have been throttled by the United States' sanctions on Cuba by restricting their ability to trade freely. The loss of trade with Cuba in turn harms the Cuban people, who would enjoy higher-income salaries through trade with American corporations and through increased American tourism. Instead of the Cuban government suffering from U.S.-Cuba foreign policy, it has been American enterprise and the Cuban society."

The Libertarian Party believes that lifting travel restrictions, as well as other sanctions that directly target the Cuban people, will open the Cuban market to trade with American corporations that are currently not allowed to conduct business with Cuba. Many U.S. agricultural and business organizations also support normalizing trade with Cuba, including the U.S.-Cuban Trade Association, which lists more than 50 U.S. companies as members.

"The United States has done nothing but hurt the Cuban people by restricting the ability of American businesses to freely trade with other countries," Redpath concluded. "The Unites States needs to increase engagement with the Cuba instead of continuing a foreign policy that hurts both Americans and Cubans alike."