Two Democratic House members visited Cuba last week and subsequently criticized U.S. economic restrictions on the island, calling for policy changes to address what they described as humanitarian consequences.

Representatives Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois completed a five-day congressional delegation to Cuba that ended Sunday. During their visit, the lawmakers met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, and members of Cuba's parliament.

Following the trip, both representatives characterized current U.S. economic sanctions as harmful to ordinary Cubans. Jackson described Cuba as the "most sanctioned part of Earth," while both lawmakers called the restrictions an "economic bombing" and referenced what they termed a U.S. "blockade of fuel" to the island.

Cuban President Díaz-Canel wrote on social media platform X that he had "denounced the criminal damage caused by the blockade, particularly the consequences of the energy siege decreed by the current US government and its threats of even more aggressive actions."

The lawmakers called for what they described as a permanent solution to Cuba's ongoing crises. Their visit comes amid Cuba's continued economic difficulties and energy shortages that have affected daily life on the island.

The representatives also reportedly called on President-elect Trump to "bring the rhetoric down" regarding Cuba policy, though specific details of their policy recommendations were not immediately clear.