The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in the United States has called on the Trump administration to end its oil blockade of Cuba, arguing that the action has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the country.

In a letter to the administration signed by CBC Chair, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, the caucus urged the administration to relieve the economic pressures on the island, which it said have led to an increase in infant mortality rates, the threat of starvation, and a declining standard of living for innocent Cuban civilians.

“Under the administration’s oil blockade and tightening of sanctions, Cubans are dying. The New York Times has reported that, as a result of the sanctions, the infant mortality rate in Cuba has more than doubled since 2018. With food shortages leading to more underweight pregnant mothers and their newborns, too many Cuban children are unable to make it out of the hospital and home to their families,” the CBC said in its letter.