On Wednesday, September 2, the Global Liberty Alliance (GLA) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the U.S. Government to issue sanctions for the Cuban Communist Party officials and others who are complicit in blocking humanitarian aid from U.S.-based charitable and civil society organizations.

The aid continues to be withheld from Cuban citizens, after almost one month. GLA's letter puts forth names of Cuban Party officials, Customs officials, and officials from the Council of Churches that GLA has obtained from Cuban citizens on the island who feel cheated by their government.

See the letter below. 

For more information about GLA's letter on this "blockade" of humanitarian aid, you can explore the following media coverage:

• Jason Poblete on Tomás Cardoso, Radio TV Martí's "Cuba al Día" 
• Jason Poblete on Radio TV Martí's "Noticiero de Radio Martí 12:00 PM"
• Martí Noticias, "Piden a Pompeo responder con sanciones a retención de ayuda humanitaria en Cuba"
• Diario de Cuba, "Una organización pide a EEUU sanciones para implicados en la retención de ayuda humanitaria en Cuba"
• ADN Cuba, "Fuertes sanciones para cómplices del régimen cubano tras retener ayuda humanitaria"

As ADN Cuba reported today, Timothy Zuniga Brown will replace Mara Tekach as Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba. For her part, Ms. Tekach will take up Mr. Zuniga Brown's current position as coordinator of the State Department’s Office of Cuban Affairs.

When asked by ADN Cuba about the appointment, GLA' s Chief Counsel and Policy Advisor Jason I. Poblete stated: "The United States will be well represented in Havana by Tim. He's very familiar not only with the politics involving the United States and Cuba and interested parties, but also with the Western Hemisphere, as well as the importance of Cuban politics in related affairs."

As América Tevé reported tonight, Colombia is pulling Cuban healthcare workers from its country, just days after Cuba's medical mission in Mexico was also reported to have returned to Cuba. See around 1:45 to hear GLA's efforts mentioned, and see GLA founding attorney Jason I. Poblete's comments: