Cubans in U.S., A Firm Decision to Strengthen Ties and Break Blockade

In light of a new context in bilateral relations, organizations of Cuban residents in the United States have maintained their firm decision to favor rapprochement between the two countries, beyond what they consider political mistakes by the White House.

For those groups of immigrants, physical distance from their homeland and the effort by the U.S. administration to destroy bilateral ties lack the necessary strength to make them give up their objectives.

Grouped in the Alianza Martiana coalition, based in the city of Miami, Florida, those groups also demand an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade that Washington has imposed on Cuba for more than 55 years.

As they have done on several occasions, they review every particular situation and plan new actions to eliminate that stance by the U.S. government that they describe as hostile and groundless against the Cuban people.

In early July, Alianza Martiana held a meeting to analyze the White House's new policy on Cuba, which is step backward regarding the measures taken by the previous U.S. administration, according to several people.

On December 17, 2014, the then occupant of the White House, Barack Obama, and Cuban President Raul Castro simultaneously announced the beginning of a process aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.

On July 20, 2015, Washington and Havana reestablished diplomatic relations and signed a score of agreements and memorandums of understanding in several sectors, but the context changed after Donald Trump took office as the president of the United States.

We will demand again the end to the criminal siege, we cannot keep quiet, Andres Gomez, the national coordinator of the Antonio Maceo Brigade, told Prensa Latina.

During the meeting, attended by some 60 participants, actions were designed to continue supporting Cuba. They condemned the speech given by President Trump on June 16 to announce the changes in Washington's Cuba policy.

Trump signed the so-called Presidential Memorandum of National Security on Strengthening U.S. Policy towards Cuba in Miami that day.

That document limits travels by U.S. citizens to Cuba on the basis of bureaucratic barriers and the elimination of individual visits with educational ends.

It also bans economic, commercial and financial transactions between U.S. and Cuban companies linked to the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the intelligence and security services.

That way, as the Cuban government said in a declaration, additional obstacles are imposed on the very restricted opportunities that the U.S. entrepreneurial sector has to do business with and invest in Cuba.

According Gomez, the struggle in defense of all the rights of the Cuban people to live and develop peacefully needs to be continued.

In that regard, public actions were called, including a car caravan along busy streets to show solidarity and demand an end to the blockade.

For his part, Max Lesnik, of the leadership of Alianza Martiana, also considered at the meeting on July 2 that new battles are approaching against the lack of understanding and the outdated attitude of the Miami-based extreme right wing.

We are standing for whatever it comes and whatever it is, reaffirmed Lesnik, who wished the new policy by the Republican president to end up in the rectification of the mistake he made.

With Trump or without Trump, the Cuban Revolution will continue along the path chosen in an imperturbable and safe manner of its destiny, noted the president of the Circle of Intellectuals and Artists of Miami, Salvador Capote.

Two days after Trump's announcement of the new Cuba policy, Alianza Martiana condemned and questioned the reasons why the Republican president made 'such a crazy decision'.

In a press release, Alianza Martiana said that several media organizations claim that the decision was motivated by electoral reasons to continue being supported by the Cuban community in Florida, mainly in Miami.

It is a lie that can be easily proved by facts. Fifty percent of Cuban voters in Florida were against Trump's candidacy for the presidency, the organization added.

It pointed out that for more than eight years, including three elections, the Cuban immigrants have not supported overwhelmingly the presidential candidate who favors a policy of war and blockade against the Cuban people.

The reasons that motivated Trump's decision in favor of that policy against Cuba might be found in his political infantilism and growing desperation to try to keep his sinking presidency afloat, said the press release.

Redressed, not to say disguised, with the clothes and language used by the decrepit counterrevolutionary crusade, Trump staged a dark comic opera while surrounded by the thirsty vampires of the Cuban-American extreme right wing, the text stressed.

It repeated the commitment by Cubans and non-Cubans, respectful of the Cuban people's decision to maintain their sovereignty, to continue fighting against such violations of the fundamental rights to live in peace.

In addition to the organizations of Cuban émigrés, Trump's stance was also condemned by Republican and Democratic lawmakers, entrepreneurial groups, scientists, Cuban-Americans and non-profitable organizations.

For example, the bipartisan Cuba Working Group, made up of 24 U.S. congress people, said that it would be deeply involved with federal agencies to mitigate the harmful consequences of the new policy.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce ratified the will to continue working to eliminate 'the outdated policies', and recalled that it is collaborating with Congress and public and private sectors from the two countries to eliminate the barriers on the commerce of goods and services, create jobs and favor growth bilaterally.

*Prensa Latina correspondent in the United States.