San Juan, January 8 (RHC-PL) -- The College of Attorneys of Puerto Rico (CAPR) has expressed hope for the prompt removal of the U.S. economic blockade on Cuba, amid the announced process of normalizing diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries.

"We hope the necessary atmosphere emerges to conduct a total re-establishment of political relations and the elimination of all sanctions imposed by the United States against the government of the Republic of Cuba, putting an end to the blockade imposed since 1962," states the resolution approved on December 20, 2014.

The CAPR also congratulated the presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro, and the United States, Barack Obama, for the steps taken towards the normalization of diplomatic relations after nearly 54 years.

The resolution was adopted by the Board of Governors of the College of Attorneys of Puerto Rico, presided over by Mark Anthony Bimbela.

In the document, to which Prensa Latina had access in San Juan, Bimbela recalled that the blockade on Cuba has had detrimental economic effects estimated at more than 116.800 billion USD, while fines imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department against third country companies for trading with Havana, total about 11.5 billion USD.

Puerto Rican lawyers stated the need for the U.S. Congress to repeal the 1992 Torricelli Act and the 1996 Helms Burton Act to end the economic blockade that has caused so much damage to Cuba.