Urgent Message to the People of Cuba and its Revolutionary Government

The Canadian Peace Congress condemns in the strongest possible terms the efforts of U.S. imperialism to take advantage of understandable frustrations over food and power shortages to whip up counter-revolutionary violence and disorder in Santiago de Cuba in the eastern part of the island. This is but the latest chapter in its 64-year campaign to bring harm to the heroic Cuban people in the form of the horrendous and genocidal blockade. This illegal blockade is the direct cause of the shortages of food and energy supplies so essential to the social and economic needs of the Cuban economy.

The Cuban Revolution not only liberated Cuba from complete domination and abuse from US imperialism but also overthrew the hated Bautista criminal dictatorship which had kept the people in a state of absolute poverty, landless and heavily exploited without education, health care, and basic human rights. The national liberation struggle also demonstrated that people united in the struggle for freedom and real democracy could defeat the “invincible” USA and its war machine. This was totally unacceptable to the USA which has attempted to crush the Revolution ever since.

The goal of imperialism remains the same today. The stifling blockade was eased ever-so-slightly under the Obama administration. But shortly after taking office, the Trump government reversed those small openings and intensified the blockade by imposing 243 more restrictions on the economy in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Worse still, at the end of his mandate, Trump groundlessly placed Cuba onto its notorious ‘State sponsor of terrorism’ list, further tightening the noose around the throats of the Cuban people. For its part, the Biden Administration promised to relax the sanctions, but has not followed through in any way.

The Canadian Peace Congress and all peace loving and progressive organizations understand completely who is responsible for the food shortages and electrical blackouts currently plaguing Cuba’s domestic economy. We note the hypocrisy of imperialism when it calls on the Revolutionary Government to solve these serious problems while, at the same time, maintaining its genocidal blockade on the island.

Cuba is respected internationally for the generosity and kindness of its people. The selfless gift of medical assistance Cuba has rendered to so many countries and peoples around the world speaks volumes about Cuba’s genuine commitment to humanism and international solidarity. We have every confidence that Cuba will successfully overcome the present difficulties it faces.

The Congress reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people and their government as they struggle to resolve the current difficulties and to defend the gains of their revolution.

Cuba is not alone!

Larry Wasslen
President
Canadian Peace Congress