Caravan to Cuba Protests Bush's Policies
In recent days, the Bush administration has escalated its provocations and
aggressions against Cuba. Among the many measures recently announced by
Bush's so-called Presidential Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba are
plans to fly a C-130 military cargo plane constantly around Cuban waters, in
order to beam in US government propaganda on TV/Radio Martí; millions of
dollars in US appropriations to fund an internal opposition movement in
Cuba; increased restrictions on travel to Cuba, which will apply to
educational institutions, and even to Cuban-Americans who would be allowed
to visit Cuba only once every three years, and only for the purpose of
visiting their most immediate relatives, and only if they apply for a US
Treasury license.
As President Bush's military adventure in Iraq becomes more chaotic and more
tragic in its effects, and as his re-election seems more and more uncertain,
Pastors for Peace fears that he will work even harder to cater to the
Cuban-Americans in Miami who helped assure Bush's 'victory' in 2000. Even
more, we fear that Bush is sufficiently unstable that he might start yet
another war just before the November election. Cuba is doing what it must do
— preparing itself for the possibility of a US attack. On May 1st and again
on May 14th millions of Cubans marched in Havana and other cities to
proudly demonstrate their support for their independence and their
revolution.
The Cuban government has just announced emergency economic measures to
ensure that the country's economic resources will stay focused on the
long-term priority items that will benefit all Cubans, such as fuel, food,
health care and education. Cubans all across the island are stepping up
their resistance to US efforts to re- colonize them.
The US has never been more isolated. The rest of the world has consistently
rejected US policy towards Cuba. At the United Nations, the blockade has
been condemned by virtually every country in the world. In Congress a clear
majority supports an end to the travel ban and at least a partial lifting of
the blockade. The great majority of US citizens see current US/Cuba policy
as pointless, foolish, and mean-spirited. And now even a majority of
Cuban-Americans are looking for another way, as Bush's policies attack their
basic rights and hurt their families back in Cuba.
In this political context IFCO/Pastors for Peace is launching its 15th
Friendshipment Caravan, which will travel to Cuba in July. Pastors for Peace
is going to Cuba, as they always do, proudly and openly, without asking for
or accepting a US government license. Three other organizations will join in
the travel challenge: the Venceremos Brigade, the African Awareness
Association, and the Committee to Free the Cuban Five.
By their presence together in Cuba they plan to act as ambassadors for a
people-to-people foreign policy which is based on justice, compassion,
mutual respect; and for the rejection of the blockade and the ban on travel
to Cuba.
Cuba has said it refuses to go back to being a colony of the US.
FMI: Maine caravan contacts: Judy Robbins robbins@downeast.net 326-4405;
Steve Burke stevbee@midcoast.com 273-3247
Back to Peace Talk Index, Summer, 2004