Global Policy Forum

Ten U.S. senators from both sides of the aisle formed an informal group on Friday to fight the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, even as Cuban President Fidel Castro ordered the arrest of dozens of dissidents at home.

"The sanction policy of the United States has been ineffective since it was adopted in 1962," the legislators said in a letter to the Senate leadership. The group, which calls itself the Cuba Working Group, is similar to a group in the House of Representatives, as supporters and foes of the embargo geared up for a legislative battle over trade and travel sanctions against Castro's government.

The signatories, which include Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana, and Pat Roberts, a Republican from Kansas, from the finance and intelligence committees respectively, said sanctions cost U.S. business leaders and farmers nearly $1 billion per year in lost exports to Cuba. "We believe that the American people can have greater influence on Cuban society by developing a relationship with The Cuban people," the senators said in the letter.

Cuban authorities arrested 72 dissident leaders this week and restricted movement by U.S. diplomats on the island, according to human rights organizations.

Anti-embargo members of Congress have in the past introduced bills and amendments to ease trade and travel restrictions, but their efforts have failed to overcome procedural delays employed by pro-embargo lawmakers.

The Bush administration has also said it will veto any bill or amendment that seeks to roll back sanctions.

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