Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Sunday that the demand for eliminating the U.S. blockade from more than 50 cities around the world accompanies the Caribbean people in their struggle.
Havana, Cuba.- On Twitter, the foreign minister described the siege imposed by Washington almost six decades ago as a "criminal policy."
Likewise, he assured that the solidarity of sister countries will be with the island next June 23 at the United Nations General Assembly, when the resolution "Necessity of putting an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" will be voted on.
This weekend, cities in several continents hosted car rallies, bike rallies, and other initiatives on social networks as part of the IV World Caravan to demand the end of the coercive measure.
Caravans of cars and bicycles support in the U.S and others cities of the world the voices that raised today for the end of the Blockade against #Cuba #UnblockCuba pic.twitter.com/UvkQCprGqx
— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) June 20, 2021
The provinces of Matanzas and Holguín, representing all of Cuba, accompanied the international movement, starting with a regatta and bicycle rides through main streets with messages condemning the policy.
According to the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, solidarity groups, friends, and people of goodwill in different latitudes have coordinated actions to accompany the island in its demand.
The blockade is considered the main obstacle to the development of the country and a massive violation of human rights.
In almost 60 years of applying the blockade, the damages amount to 147,853 million dollars.
ATTACKS AGAINST CUBA SOLIDARITY CARAVAN IN MIAMI DENOUNCED
Washington.- The main promoter of the Bridges of Love initiative, Carlos Lazo, denounced Sunday that the caravan carried out in Miami in rejection of the U.S. blockade against Cuba suffered attacks from fascist and intolerant individuals.
He told Prensa Latina that "a small group of fanatics who only want blood and hatred for the Cuban people and do not want a rapprochement between Washington and Havana attacked participants at their exit of the caravan."
These fascists threatened to kill and attacked one of the participants in the solidarity initiative, he said in a video.
One of the comrades who participated in the caravan was arrested and we demand his release, Lazo stressed.
On other occasions, activists have received attacks and death threats, but we will not allow them to silence the voices of the majority of the Cuban-American community that rejects the sanctions against the Caribbean island and demands the end of the blockade, said Lazo.
We have the right to express ourselves and to demand the lifting of that siege, to demand the reopening of the Washington embassy in Havana, that the family reunification program be restored and that remittances be allowed to be sent, he said.
The brothers and sisters in Miami did not go out to provoke; they went out peacefully singing the Cuban National Anthem, Lazo recalled.
But some try to kidnap the voices of the Cuban-American community in the United States and do not want to allow those who demand the lifting of sanctions against the Cuban family to be heard, said the activist.
While these aggressions against the participants of the caravans advocating for Bridges of Love are taking place, the Miami Herald does not report or say that there are thousands of Cubans demanding the lifting of sanctions against Cuba, he added.
CUBA'S PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS SOLIDARITY AGAINST BLOCKADE DESPITE ATTACK
Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Monday highlighted the global solidarity against the economic blockade of the United States against his country, despite the attacks of which some people are victims.
On his Twitter account, the president said that Cuban emigrants in US territory, who this weekend expressed their desire to establish normal relations with the Caribbean nation, had to face manifestations of violence.
“Cuban emigres, who build bridges of love, faced a hateful attack to their caravan in Miami. Is there no freedom of speech for those who demand an end to genocide? A message tours the world: the blockade must end,” Díaz-Canel tweeted.
Carlos Lazo, one of the promoters of the Bridges of Love initiative, denounced on Sunday that the activity carried out in that Florida city in rejection of Washington's siege against Cuba, suffered attacks by fascist and intolerant individuals. On previous occasions, activists have received attacks and threats, but according to Lazo, nothing will silence most of the Cuban-Americans who condemn the sanctions against the Caribbean nation and calls for the end of the blockade.
More than 15 US cities welcomed this weekend's initiatives against the economic blockade against Cuba, almost on the brink of the June 23 vote at the United Nations General Assembly on a draft resolution against that unilateral measure.
In New York, several groups in solidarity with Cuba strongly rejected the blockade and called for the end of a policy that has been only damaging the Cuban people.
Members of the "Cuba Yes New York-New Jersey" Coalition, Venceremos (We Shall Overcome) Brigade, Pastors for Peace, Casa de las Américas Organization, U.S. activists, Cuban-Americans, and Cubans residing in the United States joined the Bridges of Love caravan.
Gail Walker, Executive Director of the Interfaith Foundation for the Community Organization (IFCO)-Pastors for Peace, expressed that it’s quite important to continue conducting these and other actions to confront the US blockade against Cuba.
#UnBlockCuba #CarCaravan in Harlem, NYC https://t.co/ZzG9SVR5Ki pic.twitter.com/4szYDKGmMb
— Gail Walker (@GailWalker_IFCO) June 20, 2021
Ike Nahem, leader of the Cuba Yes New York-New Jersey Coalition, claimed that Washington is determined to attack Cuba just because of the Caribbean nation's example for the entire world.
