We challenge the current anti-Cuba campaign: “Support the Cuban people? End all sanctions now, allow free trade and travel, and let Cuban emigres send money to their families!”
The widely-trumpeted “mass freedom protests in Cuba” Monday completely fizzled because of the Cuban peoples’ mass repudiation of U.S.-orchestrated operations against their hard-won sovereignty.
Indeed, Washington’s economic/trade/travel/diplomatic war against Cuba has tried to asphyxiate Cuba for over 60 years.
Current protests in Cuba reflect well-financed regime-change operations by the U.S. government seizing upon the pandemic’s dire economic consequences for Cuba (zero tourist dollars, biggest source of foreign exchange).
U.S. policy was unambiguously articulated by Lester D. Mallory, Vice Secretary of State and architect of U.S. Cuba policy in a now-declassified U.S. April1960 memorandum:
“The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship…every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba…denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.”
This policy has continued for over 60 years, the longest sanction campaign in history. And now Washington has seized upon blockade and epidemic-caused economic problems in Cuba to orchestrate a counter-revolution in its eternal war to return Cuba to U.S. rule.
A central part of this offensive is intimidating the broad U.S. supporters of normalized relations (including the unanimous Chicago City Council) by tarring all as supporters of the “dictatorship” –a popular governments that has eliminated illiteracy and homelessness, and provided free healthcare that it shares internationally.
And intimidating the big majority of the U.S. people who support free commerce and travel between the U.S. and Cuba.
Regardless of opinions on Cuba’s government, we say ’Take Washington’s Knee off Cuba’s Neck!’ And we stand with the 184 UN nations that recently voted to end all U.S. sanctions / end its blockade.
And we urge all to join our 2pm Sunday Car Caravan for Normalization in Kenwood/Hyde Park (gather at 25 W. 47th, monthly caravan sponsored by ten organizations, part of caravans in scores of U.S. and int’l cities) – Chicago’s most important response to the latest well-financed and well-orchestrated campaign to demonize Cuba.
Let Cuba Breathe!
Chicago Cuba Coalition 