Viewing from October 2016

Message of thanks from Cuba

Campaign News | Monday, 31 October 2016

The Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP) and the CTC (Cuban TUC) have issued messages of thanks to the international solidarity movement following last week's UN vote against the US blockade: ICAP's message: Dear all, With joy and pleasure we have witnessed a new moral victory at the United Nations General Assembly. Indeed a triumph ... read more

Ana Belen Montes, who was arrested in 2001 is serving a 25 year sentence and is allowed limited contact with the outside world

International action for Ana Belen Montes

Campaign News | Monday, 31 October 2016

Irish Nobel Prize Laureate, Mairead Maguire, has sent a letter to President Obama calling for the release of Ana Belen Montes, a Puerto Rican woman who has been imprisoned in the US for more than 15 years for passing information to Cuban intelligence officers:- President Obama, Ana Belen Montes has been diagnosed ... read more

Morning Star, Friday 28 October 2016

Cuba's Case Against Blockade is Made

Campaign News | Friday, 28 October 2016

OLLIE HOPKINS puts into context the UN general assembly vote of 191 to none for lifting of the US’s malicious and vindictive sanctions For the 25th consecutive year, the United Nations general assembly voted on Wednesday in favour of ending the ongoing US blockade of Cuba and for the first time ... read more

Washington Abstains From Annual UN Vote Blasting Its Blockade

News from Cuba | Thursday, 27 October 2016

THE US sensationally abstained in the United Nations’ annual vote condemning its own blockade of Cuba yesterday for the first time in 24 years. Washington’s UN ambassador Samantha Power (pictured) admitted the US policy had failed and had in fact “undermined the goals it set out to achieve.” Earlier anonymous diplomats said ... read more

Cuba hopes U.S. vote in the United Nations is reflected in reality

News from Cuba | Thursday, 27 October 2016

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, today October 26, during the United Nations discussion on Cuba's resolution against the blockade, said that the U.S. abstention in this year’s vote was “a positive sign,” and hopes the change would be “reflected in reality.” It has taken 24 years for the solitary vote ... read more

Is the U.S. trade embargo risking lives in Cuba?

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 26 October 2016

WASHINGTON - Despite the improved ties between the United States and Cuba, the United Nations is expected to again condemn the American trade embargo against the communist island. For the 25th year in a row, Cuba has called for the United Nations to issue a resolution against the U.S. “blockade,” as ... read more

CSC Statement on historic UN blockade vote

Campaign News | Wednesday, 26 October 2016

On Wednesday the United Nations general assembly voted in favour of a Cuban resolution calling for an end of the US blockade in a historic vote with 191 - 0 in favour of ending the over 50 year old US blockade policy. For the 25th consecutive year, the United Nations general ... read more

Normalisation of Relations With Cuba Is All But Irreversible Now

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 25 October 2016

President Obama’s new directive mandates positive engagement, as opposed to perpetual hostility, as the new modus operandi. By Peter Kornbluh With just under 100 days remaining in office, President Obama has launched a final offensive to assure that his administration’s effort to normalise relations with Cuba will outlast his presidency and be ... read more

Bruno Rodriguez arrives in New York for UN vote on the blockade

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 25 October 2016

Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez arrived in New York for a new vote in the UN General Assembly on the need to lift the US blockade against the Caribbean nation. Rodriguez will speak on Wednesday at the plenary of 193 countries. The resolution against the over a half a century old ... read more

U.S. subversion against Cuba continues

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 25 October 2016

Even while the ink of Barack Obama’s new Presidential Directive on Cuba is not yet dry, an announcement for new subversive projects against Cuba was published on the U.S. State Department website If you mix the same ingredients an equal number of times, the result will always be the same. However, ... read more

Stand with Cuba and vote against the US blockade

Campaign News | Monday, 24 October 2016

On 26 October Cuba will present a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly calling for the US to end its blockade of the island. In the run up to the vote you can show you stand with the Cuba people and are against the blockade by taking part in the ... read more

CSC's Co-op Bank account closure featured in Cuba's blockade report to the UN

Campaign News | Sunday, 23 October 2016

The closure of Cuba Solidarity Campaign's Co-operative Bank account in November 2015, due to US blockade legislation, has been included in Cuba's Report to the United Nations on the blockade Resolution. The Report from Cuba on Resolution 70/5 of the United Nations General Assembly is entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, ... read more

Further changes Obama can still make

News from Cuba | Friday, 21 October 2016

The U.S. President has various executive prerogatives with which to modify the application of the blockade against Cuba, including to: 1- Allow Cuba to open travel information offices in the United States. 2- Authorise exports to Cuba of U.S. products for essential sectors of the island’s economy, such as mining, tourism, biotechnology, ... read more

The small print of Obama’s presidential policy directive on Cuba

News from Cuba | Thursday, 20 October 2016

After decades of secret documents concealing sabotage and destabilisation plans, Barack Obama’s new presidential policy directive on Cuba was publicly unveiled on Friday, October 14 The U.S. President stated that the document represents a “comprehensive and whole-of-government approach” and aims to make the transformations of the last two years irreversible. He added ... read more

President Obama issues directive consolidating changes to Cuba policy

News from Cuba | Monday, 17 October 2016

According to the document “Under the new policy, the United States expands and promotes authorized engagements with Cuba to advance cooperation on areas of mutual interest, and increase travel to, commerce with, and the free flow of information to Cuba,” although the over 50-year economic, financial and commercial blockade remains ... read more

Mario Gonzalez, Luis Camejo, Chrislie Perez, and Adislen Reyes on the opening night

¡Presente! Contemporary Art from Cuba on at the GX Gallery until 29 October

Campaign News | Monday, 17 October 2016

¡Presente! Contemporary Art from Cuba on at the GX Gallery until 29 October The Presente! exhibition, a project of the Music Fund for Cuba charity supported by Cuba Solidarity Campaign, finally opened its doors for the month of October at GX Gallery in Denmark Hill, London. It had been planned for 18 ... read more

President Obama issues directive consolidating changes to Cuba policy

News from Cuba | Monday, 17 October 2016

On 14 October President Barack Obama issued a ‘Presidential Policy Directive’ (PPD-43) devoted to ‘United States-Cuba Normalisation’ which aims to consolidate changes adopted with regard to Cuba, and making the new policy toward the island irreversible. PPD-43 states: “We recognise Cuba's sovereignty and self-determination and acknowledge areas of difference. We seek ... read more

Obama takes action in favour of maintaining rapprochement

News from Cuba | Monday, 17 October 2016

In addition, the limit of up to 400 dollars, 100 of them in tobacco and rum, for the import into the United States of Cuban products for personal use and the sending of remittances to nationals of third countries for their trips to, from or inside Cuba, as long as ... read more

Cuban artists offer hope to victims of Matthew

News from Cuba | Monday, 17 October 2016

During Cuban Culture week, art companies and organizations including the experienced and award winning Guantanamo Guiñol and members of the Hermano Saiz Association will take their talents to the areas affected by Hurricane Matthew aimed at offering hope and support to the people. The Provincial Culture Office promotes this solidarity ... read more

French bank BNP Paribas was sentenced to a record fine of 8.9 billion dollars for maintaining, among others, financial relations with Cuba.

The ongoing US blockade, the principal obstacle to the development of Cuba

News from Cuba | Friday, 14 October 2016

Despite the establishment of a historic dialogue with Havana on December 17, 2014, and regardless of the official visit of President Barack Obama to the island in March 2016, Washington continues to apply economic sanctions against the Cuban population, sparking the incomprehension of the international community. Established in 1960, during ... read more

Venezuela sends construction aid to Cuban victims of Hurricane Matthew

News from Cuba | Thursday, 13 October 2016

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 11 (acn) Venezuela sent 327 tons of aid for the victims of the Hurricane Matthew that battered eastern Cuba last week, according to the Venezuelan Minister of Housing, Manuel Quevedo. According to Prensa Latina, the official said the aid, which will arrive by ship to Santiago de Cuba, ... read more

Cuban President Assesses Hurricane Damage in Eastern Cuba

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 12 October 2016

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 11 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro assessed the damage inflicted by hurricane Matthew in the easternmost zones of Cuba and said that it's now crucial to exactly and rapidly identify the damage to know what do in each area.Raul held a working meeting Monday at the Municipal ... read more

Cuba Hurricane Appeal

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 11 October 2016

The Cuban government is accepting international donations to help with disaster relief following Hurricane Matthew which hit the island on 4 October. The storm destroyed thousands of homes in eastern Cuba, particularly the towns of Baracoa, Maisi, San Antonio del Sur and Imias. Donations can be made directly by bank transfers ... read more

Cuban Government Help Hurricane Victims Rebuild

News from Cuba | Monday, 10 October 2016

Cuba managed to avoid any loss of life thanks to its hurricane preparedness strategy. The Cuban government detailed finance plans to help people whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Matthew earlier this week. Matthew reduced much of the Cuban town of Baracoa to rubble, whipping up giant waves that demolished cement buildings ... read more

Cuba and Venezuela Show Solidarity with Haiti After the Hurricane

News from Cuba | Sunday, 9 October 2016

The death toll from the hurricane, which has devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation, is approaching 1,000, with scores of people still missing. The governments of Cuba and Venezuela have shown their solidarity with Haiti by sending specialised personnel and humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people ... read more

UN praises Cuban Civil Defense performance against Hurricane Matthew

News from Cuba | Saturday, 8 October 2016

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 8 (acn) U.N. Development Program Resident Representative in Cuba Myrta Kaulard praised the actions taken by the Cuban Civil Defense aimed at preventing the loss of human lives and material resources to Hurricane Matthew. Miss Kaulard highlighted the deployment of men and resources by the Cuban government to ... read more

Vigil to honour victims of terrorism on 40th Anniversary of Cuban airline bombing

News from Cuba | Thursday, 6 October 2016

A gathering to honour the victims of the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner mid-flight off the coast of Barbados was held yesterday evening, October 5, at Havana's José Martí Memorial, with families of the martyrs in attendance Hundreds of students, athletes, and workers gathered yesterday evening, October 5, to honour ... read more

Zero fatalities reported, but extensive damage to housing and infrastructure reported in Baracoa

News from Cuba | Thursday, 6 October 2016

After Hurricane Matthew passed through Cuba’s eastern region, the island’s authorities began to evaluate the damage caused by the storm on October 5, with no fatalities reported at press time After Hurricane Matthew passed through Cuba’s eastern region, the island’s authorities began to evaluate the damage caused by the storm on ... read more

Hurricane Matthew hits eastern Cuba

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 5 October 2016

The eye of the hurricane made landfall shortly after 6pm on October 4, in the area around Punta Caleta, on the southern coast of Guantánamo province, moving northward at 15 kilometers an hour The eye of Hurricane Matthew made landfall shortly after 6pm on October 4, in the areas around Punta ... read more

Cuba, Here And Now

Campaign News | Wednesday, 5 October 2016

HELEN COLLEY looks forward to the biggest-ever exhibition in Britain showcasing the latest art from the island “CULTURE in our country is not longing for the past,” says Cuban art expert Chrislie Perez Perez. She’s one of the team who has helped put together ¡PRESENTE! Contemporary Art from Cuba, the major ... read more

Raúl reviews preparedness measures ahead of Hurricane Matthew

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 4 October 2016

The Cuban President was accompanied by Party Political Bureau member and Deputy Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Army Corps General Ramón Espinosa Martín, and Lázaro Expósito Canto, president of the Provincial Defense Council Santiago de Cuba.- On the third day of his working visit to the east of the country, ... read more

Cubans arrive in a boat with their belongings as they move towards a shelter prior the arrival of the Hurricane Matthew in Santiago, Cuba.

Cuba prepares for Hurricane Matthew

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 4 October 2016

As Cuba evacuated tens of thousands of people from cays and low-lying coastal areas by boat and bus Monday, José Rubiera, Cuba’s chief hurricane forecaster, said the brunt of Hurricane Matthew is expected to begin reaching Cuba in the late morning Tuesday. But tropical-storm winds may begin to be felt between ... read more

Raúl: Preparation for Hurricane Matthew essential at this stage

News from Cuba | Monday, 3 October 2016

GUANTÁNAMO.- Early yesterday morning, October 2, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, arrived in Cuba's easternmost province, to review actions being taken here to prepare for the landfall of Hurricane Matthew. Accompanied by Army Corps General Ramón Espinosa Martín, deputy minister of the Revolutionary ... read more

Trade Unions for Cuba eNewsletter Autumn 2016 edition

Campaign News | Monday, 3 October 2016

The Autumn 2016 issue of Cuba Solidarity Campaign's Trade Unions for Cuba eNewsletter is now out, which includes the latest news on Cuba and CSC with particular emphasis on our work with trade unions. This issue includes: - Huge turnout at Labour Party Conference fringe meeting- British trade unions in solidarity with ... read more

Counting the cost of the US blockade

Campaign News | Monday, 3 October 2016

Cuba has once again been forced to present its annual motion to the United Nations protesting against the illegal US blockade, which continues unabated despite all the early promise of the restoration of diplomatic links and President Barack Obama’s visit to Cuba. ROB MILLER has the story Cuba has once again ... read more