Progressive Democrats travel to Cuba

Two prominent progressive lawmakers traveled to Cuba during the House’s recess last week. 

Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and caucus’ Deputy Chair Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) both traveled to the island nation, CPC spokesperson confirmed to The Hill. 

During the trip, first reported by the Miami Herald, the lawmakers met with people from “across Cuban civil society” and “government officials to discuss human rights and the U.S.-Cuba bilateral relationship,” according to the CPC spokesperson. 

Both Omar and Jayapal have been critical of the U.S.’s embargo against Cuba and support normalizing relations with the island. In 2019, Omar cited Cuba when she criticized how the U.S. used sanctions against other nations.

“But economic and sector sanctions are too often designed to inflict maximum pain on civilians, not empower them,” Omar said. “We had a full embargo on Cuba for decades, with little effect on the Cuban government but much pain inflicted on ordinary Cubans. It was only through diplomacy and direct conversation that President Barack Obama and the United States made progress in Cuba.” 

Jayapal and Omar were among the 40 Democrats who voted against a resolution supporting protestors who were demonstrating against the Cuban government in 2021. 

The trip was not covered by Cuba’s state media. Usually, U.S. lawmaker’s trips to the island are followed by publicity, according to The Herald. 

Some GOP members of Congress criticized the trip. 

Republican congressman Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) said it was “no surprise that the Hamas Caucus made a pilgrimage to Cuba last week to get a refresher course on communism to bring back to DC.” 

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), in reaction to the trip, said that the CPC should be called the “Congressional Communist Sympathizing Caucus.” 

“It’s outrageous that Members of Congress would visit a country that jails, abuses, and murders their citizens and supports Iran, Russia and Communist China against our interests,” Malliotakis wrote in a post on X. “Perhaps their time would be better spent listening to the Cubans crossing our southern border & risking their lives on makeshift rafts to find out why they’re fleeing Communism.”