HAVANA — Some 650 delegates from 33 international locations and 120 organizations started arriving in Cuba on Friday as a part of a solidarity caravan transporting some 20 tons of humanitarian support because the island grapples with a extreme power disaster.
Members of “Our America Convoy to Cuba” arrived by air from Italy, France, Spain, the USA and several other Latin American international locations, and extra are scheduled to reach by sea on Saturday in a flotilla of three vessels from Mexico, organizers reported.
A gaggle of activists arrived in Havana on Wednesday upfront and delivered donations to hospitals.
The go to comes amid heightened tensions between Cuba and the USA, whose governments have acknowledged holding talks after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed an oil embargo. Earlier this week, Trump mentioned he anticipated to have the “honor” of “taking Cuba in some type,” including: “I can do something I need.”
Photo voltaic panels, meals and medication to deal with most cancers are among the many merchandise donated to the island, which has been brought to a near standstill since Trump imposed an power embargo in January, exacerbating a five-year financial disaster as his administration pressures for a change within the political system.
“Ultimately, we’re dozens and dozens of delegates, and we characterize tens of millions of individuals on this convoy,” mentioned David Adler, a U.S. citizen and coordinator of Progressive Worldwide, one of many caravan’s organizers. “We can’t enable this collective punishment. We can’t normalize it.”
In the meantime, Cuban Deputy Overseas Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío on Friday refuted feedback a couple of change within the political system or the potential departure of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel as a part of the continuing talks between the 2 sides.
“The Cuban political system shouldn’t be up for negotiation, neither is the president, nor the place of any official in Cuba, topic to negotiation with the USA or with the federal government of every other nation,” mentioned Fernández de Cossío.
He famous there are numerous areas of frequent curiosity on which dialogue with Washington is feasible, as has been finished up to now.
Manolo de los Santos, of The Folks’s Discussion board — one other of the caravan’s organizers — mentioned that going to Cuba at the moment shouldn’t be solely “defying the U.S. blockade,” but in addition stopping “one other Gaza within the Americas.”
A number of analysts and regional leaders, together with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, have warned of a attainable humanitarian disaster in Cuba.
Adler mentioned that each the flotilla that traveled to Gaza and the one heading to Cuba share a number of supporters. Within the case of Cuba, along with social activists, unions, outstanding figures and political events are represented, together with Morena from Mexico, the Employees’ Occasion of Brazil and the Broad Entrance of Uruguay.
A few of the figures embrace British Parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn; Colombian Senator Clara López; former Spanish politician Pablo Iglesias; U.S. labor chief Chris Smalls; and Brazilian humanitarian activist Thiago Ávila.
After a number of weeks during which the one support acquired by Cuba got here from Mexico, which despatched meals and hygiene merchandise on three events, activists and leaders in different international locations started establishing help teams and gathering donations.
Díaz-Canel expressed his gratitude on social media.
“They bring about shipments of support to fight the try to suffocate us. Welcome as soon as once more to the compassion of the individuals. Solidarity all the time returns to those that follow it with no different curiosity than human well-being,” the president said.
For its half, Brazil introduced it could ship 20,000 tons of meals, primarily rice, beans and powdered milk. A gaggle of Chilean parliamentarians additionally arrived with support on Thursday, and China reported by means of its embassy {that a} ship carrying 60,000 tons of rice set sail for Cuba.
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Observe AP’s Latin America protection at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
