558 3 minutes read On Feb. 24, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution calling on the federal government to end the blockade on Cuba. All 50 aldermen voted to oppose the blockade, adding that normalizing relations can benefit the economic conditions of both Cubans and Chicagoans. The blockade, which has lasted 60 years, prevents Cuba from trading freely and has taken a toll on the Cuban economy to the tune of billions of dollars lost every year for decades. The U.S. government-created blockade prevents countries, corporations and private individuals from doing business in Cuba. Resolution R2020-612 is the result of a two-year campaign led by more than 200 Chicagoans from different neighborhoods. The resolution ultimately became sponsored by seven aldermen. Many community activists, academics and people with familial or social ties to Cuba united to popularize and pass the resolution.