Religious People Favor US-Cuba Dialogue

The chairman of the World Service of Churches, Reverend John McCullough, favored promoting actions to promote "sincere and transparent" dialogue between Cuba and the United States. 

At a press conference in Havana, along with his companions, Reverend Gradye Parsons, of the US Presbyterian Church, and Rabi Howard Sunny Shnitzer, McCullog noted the need to achieve speed and progress in the dialogue between the two countries to search after the normalization of relations. He assured that efforts to achieve that goal will continue.

In order to take a first step, it is necessary to solve the humanitarian crisis; that is, to release the three Cuban antiterrorists held in US prisons since 1998, and Alan Gross, who is serving time in Cuba, he noted.

Later, the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by Washington on Cuba for over half a century must be lifted, he pointed out.

With these two actions, sincere and transparent dialogue would begin, the reverend added.

  

McCullough stated that a joint call was issued by the Council of Churches of Cuba and the other members of the visiting delegation, Schnitzer and Parsons, in which they demand the release of the Cuban antiterrorists and Gross, so that their families can be reunited.

Our common prayer is that working together we will able to help these families and our countries to be reunited, stressed McCullough, who met with Cuban First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.

For his part, Rabi Schnitzer noted the support that the Cuban government provides to the Jewish community, who is living the same situation as the rest of the people.

Joel Ortega, chairman of the Council of Churches of Cuba, thanked local authorities for their support and pointed out that many people in the United States want a change in policy and relations between the two countries.

There is a commitment to creating an atmosphere of trust and friendship and that Cuba and the United States shake hands overcoming the past in favor of a world of peace, Ortega said.

Recently, Reverend John McCullough paid a pastoral visit in Marianne, Florida, to Antonio Guerrero, one of the Cuban antiterrorists who are still in US federal prisons.

The executive director of the World Service of Churches of the United States described that visit as positive, during which he saw Guerrero with much energy and very strong psychologically, emotionally and spiritually.

As part of its agenda, the World Service of Churches has carried out humanitarian projects to fight hunger, assist people in cases of disasters, protect the ecosystem and prevent diseases such as AIDS, among other programs.