On 28 October the UN will vote on a resolution demanding an end to the genocidal, illegal US blockade of Cuba. For 33 consecutive years the world has stood against the blockade at the UN. Last year 165 nations voted in Cuba’s favour, whilst the US, Israel and a handful of five allies stood against them. For 33 years, the US has ignored the vote and escalated its genocidal siege of the island. With a now total oil siege suffocating the economy, the Revolutionary Communist Group is answering Cuba’s call to build networks of solidarity and action against the blockade, joining the ‘No War on Cuba’ initiative and taking to the streets. We urge you to join us – check the list below to find an action close to you!
The US blockade has been in place since 1962, and has cost Cuba more than $170 billion in lost revenue, including $8 billion in the past year alone. The blockade stops Cuba from accessing food, medicine, construction and manufacturing materials, and banking services, the latter being exacerbated by Cuba’s inclusion on the US’s ‘State Sponsors of Terrorism’ list. Successive US governments, both Democratic and Republican, have piled additional sanctions on the blockade, tightening its grip on the island of Cuba. This year the Trump administration has escalated the blockade to a medieval-style siege, cutting off any fuel shipments from reaching the island.
Cubans are feeling the devastating effect of the blockade now more than ever. The lack of fuel has heavily impacted transport and logistics, and households have to make do with only a few hours of electricity per day. 100,000 people are now on waiting lists for surgeries and over 3,000 kidney dialyses have been disrupted. Cuban students have had their education stalled and are forced to hold lessons over WhatsApp or outdoors. As Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel made clear, ‘While bombs are dropping on Gaza, Cuba is facing the silent bombs of the blockade’.
The US is engaged in an economic war against Cubans because they dared to build socialism and put the needs of humanity and the planet before profit. The US ruling class hopes that by strangling the island it can force a change of government to one that serves the needs of imperialism, rather than opposing it. Trump and Marco Rubio have repeatedly made this goal explicit, gloating that Cuba is ‘ready to fall’. Yet still the Cuban revolution resists, defying the blockade through bike protests and finding creative community solutions to the shortages of fuel and goods.
Britain’s diplomats have always voted against the blockade at the UN, resenting any barriers to potential investments in Cuban enterprise. This is however contradicted by Britain’s refusal to uphold international law. British banks illegally enforce the blockade by halting transactions they suspect might be heading to Cuba, or that contain Cuba in the payment reference. Even transactions to humanitarian initiatives and individual citizens are blocked. Whilst British legislation designed to prevent foreign sanctions from being implemented in Britain exist, this legislation is not enforced. Following the order of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) the British banks comply with the genocidal blockade.
As three years of genocide in Gaza has shown, the UN is toothless and in total servitude to the imperialist nations. Nevertheless, the yearly vote on the blockade of Cuba serves as a stark illustration of global opposition to US ruthlessness. We cannot have any illusions in the effectiveness of bourgeois democracy or diplomacy, and we cannot stand by while British banks insidiously apply US sanctions. It is the job of communists, progressives and anti-imperialists across the world to build a movement against the blockade and in solidarity with socialist Cuba on the streets!
Hands off Cuba!
End the blockade!
Viva Cuba Socialista!
Join us outside the US embassy in London and nationwide on Wednesday 28 October in solidarity with Cuba!
As well as the mobilisation in London, protests will be held around the country:
- Birmingham – 6pm Lloyds Bank New Street
- Manchester – 6pm St Peters Square
- Liverpool – 5pm Church Street
- Newcastle – 6pm Grey’s Monument
- Glasgow – 4.30 Sauchiehall Street
- Nottingham – 6pm Old Market Square
- Sheffield – 4pm HSBC The Moor
- Dundee – 6pm DVA Constitution Road
- Aberystwyth – 1pm Owain Glyndwr Square
