From October 27 – November 3, 2022, Cuba solidarity organizers from across the United States and Canada came together to organize a week of actions against the criminal U.S. blockade on Cuba. Over 60 national and local organizations and prominent individuals endorsed the ‘UNVote4Cuba’ week of action, which included more than 30 actions spanning from Miami, Florida, to Vancouver, British Columbia. A highlight for this week was on October 29, when over 300 people came together in New York City for a march from Times Square to a rally outside of the United Nations. Larger rallies were also organized in Chicago, Minneapolis and San Francisco, which echoed the ‘UNVote4Cuba’ demands to End the U.S. Blockade Against Cuba! Take Cuba Off Washington’s List of State Sponsors of Terrorism! and End All U.S. Anti-Cuba Economic and Travel Sanctions!
This united week of action coincided with the U.N. General Assembly’s annual vote demanding an end to the “the Economic, Commercial and Financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba,” – which took place over two days on November 2 and 3, 2022. For the 30th year, this vote resulted in a tremendous victory for Cuba, as 185 countries voted with Cuba, demanding the U.S. government lift the blockade on Cuba. This means that the mass majority of countries around the world, and therefore a mass majority of the nearly 8 billion people on this planet, stand with Cuba against the cruelty of the U.S. Only the U.S. and Israel voted against it, and Brazil and Ukraine abstained.
For a dynamic and international conclusion to the ‘UNVote4Cuba’ week of action, the International U.S.-Cuba Normalization Conference Committee, a coalition of leading Cuba solidarity organizers in the U.S. and Canada, organized a very successful 26-hour-long online picket action against the U.S. blockade on Cuba on November 2 and 3, 2022. Hundreds of people from 50 countries and nations and every continent added their voices to the picket and demanded the United States end the over 60-year inhuman policy against Cuba.
As the online picket moved across the globe, activists, organizers, intellectuals, and artists joined in expressing their solidarity with Cuba. This included special presentations from the Colombian Movement in Solidarity with Cuba, Europa for Cuba, the Venceremos Brigade, the Saving Lives Campaign, the 1 Cent 4 Cuba Campaign, the Orinoco Tribune, the Hatuey Project, Puentes de Amor and the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People’s (ICAP) among many others. Speakers throughout the 26 hours included Pedro Pedroso, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations; Héctor Igarza Cabrera, Cuban Ambassador to Canada; Fernando Gonzalez, Cuban 5 Hero and President of ICAP; Yanier Castellanos, Consul General of Cuba in Toronto; Ben Norton, journalist and editor of the independent news outlet Multipolarista; Medea Benjamin from CODEPINK; Quebec-based author Arnold August; Miami Caravan organizer Pete Seidman; prominent Cuba solidarity activists in NYC Ike Nahem and Erin Feeley-Nahem, author Dr. Rosemari Mealy, and Dr. Samira Addrey from IFCO/Pastors for Peace, among many others.
The 26-hour long picket (extended from 24 hours to include the overwhelming amount of solidarity greetings received in support of Cuba!) was broadcast from Vancouver, Canada, with the support of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC), Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. Blockade – Vancouver and Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice.
Following the success of the 24-hour online picket action, the united ‘UNVote4Cuba’ week of action, and Cuba’s great victory at the United Nations, it is clear that the world stands with Cuba! Now, as people living in the U.S. and Canada, we must work to extend this victory and defeat the cruel U.S. blockade against Cuba once and for all!
Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette
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