‘U.S. hands off Cuba, Venezuela!’

Demonstrators in cities in the U.S. and around the world rallied in defense of Cuba and Venezuela on May 19 and 20. Activists demanded an end to the threats and maneuvers by Washington, the Pentagon and Wall Street against socialist Cuba and the Bolivarian revolutionary process.

Berta Joubert-Ceci WW photo: B. Piette

In the U.S., protests took place in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Miami.

The Washington and Los Angeles pro tests, which inspired organizing around the world, were organized by the May 20th Coalition, which included more than 200 national and local organizations and individuals who recognize that the Bush administration—with bipartisan support in Congress—has stepped up its hostile, interventionist policies against the governments and peoples of Cuba and Venezuela.

Solidarity actions also took place in Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Moscow, Paris and Vienna; in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg, Canada; and in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne, Australia. Events were also organized in Colombia, Ecuador, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Chuvashia.

The Miami demonstration specifically defended the right of Cuban residents in the U.S. to travel to Cuba without restriction. More than 160 people demonstrated outside the Federal Building to protest the cruel separation of families enforced by the U.S. blockade. The U.S. government now arrogantly determines who in Cuba qualifies as an official family member and denies the right of spouses, children, grandparents or siblings to visit more than once in three years.

The Bolivarian Circle in Miami also sent representatives to the Washington protest. A solidarity message from the Miami demonstration was delivered in Lafayette Park.

—Leslie Feinberg

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., May 20. WW photo: B. Piette

Activists and revolutionaries of many nationalities, including many youths, descended on Malcolm X Park in Washington, D.C., on May 20.

Both the gathering rally at Malcolm X Park and the end rally at Lafayette Park in front of the White House reflected a growing unity in the progressive and socialist movement to defend Cuba, Venezuela, and now Bolivia.

African Liberation Day organizers played a leading role, and donated the stage, sound and permit for the gathering rally. A tribute to Malcolm X, Ho Chi Minh, Palestine Day and African Liberation Day followed the end of the Hands Off Cuba and Venezuela rally. The selection of Malcolm X Park was significant because May 19 was the 81st anniversary of the birth of the assassinated Black liberationist.

As the May 20 event kicked off, the Malcolm X African Band provided cultural performances and representatives from dozens of organizations gave solidarity messages during the open-mike session. Lourdes Vela from the Alberto Lovera Bolivarian Circle, Lee Robinson from African Awareness Association in Rich mond, Va., Freddie from the FMLN in Maryland, and Christina from No War On Cuba chaired the opening rally.

Youths and children led the march, which stopped at the Cuban Interest Sec tion to present the Cuban and Venezuelan ambassadors with flowers as a sign of appreciation for their countries’ struggle against capitalism and imperialism around the world. Cuban and Venezuelan flags adorned the procession, along with placards with the image of Che Guevara which read “You can kill the revolutionary, but you can never kill the revolution.”

The march was transformed into a militant street rally as it wound down the streets of Adams-Morgan and Columbia Heights—largely immigrant communities. Immigrant workers lined the street in front of their homes and shops waving and cheering. Black youths raised their fists in solidarity as marchers passed by.

The demonstration stopped in front of the Washington Post to protest corporate-media collusion to demonize the popular governments of Cuba and Venezuela. Activists also rallied in front of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to demand that the organization, which is responsible for channeling tax money to foster instability in Latin America and the Caribbean, be shut down.

Berta Joubert-Ceci, a Latin American solidarity activist and a leader of the International Action Center, gave an account of Cuba and Venezuela’s international solidarity. Along with Nalda Vigezzi from the National Network on Cuba, Joubert-Ceci co-chaired the first section of the final rally at Lafayette Park.

Several speakers spoke out in favor of the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles to Venezuela, where he is wanted for the 1976 attack on a Cubana Airlines plane that resulted in the loss of 73 lives. Jose Pertierra, an attorney who represents Venezuela in its extradition request, vowed at the rally that his government would not rest until justice was served.

“A high-ranking United States government official told us last week that Venezuela should be content with the fact that Luis Posada Carriles has not been released and continues to be detained in an immigration holding facility,” stated Pertierra.

He went on to say, “Well, President Bush, we don’t want Posada detained for mere immigration infractions. We want him tried for 73 counts of first-degree murder. The families of the victims want to be sure that his crimes do not go unpunished.”

Carlos Lazo, first secretary of the Vene zuelan Mission to the United Nations, also made remarks.

Ignacio Meneses, a leader in the U.S. Cuba/Labor Exchange, criticized “Lou Dobbs and the Sensenbrenners who humili ate immigrant workers forced to come to this country because of U.S.-sponsored wars in Latin America.”

Meneses, Lucius Walker from Pastors for Peace and Bonnie Massey from the Venceremos Brigade all asserted the right to travel to Cuba without U.S. government interference. Representatives from these organizations and the African Awareness Association will return to the U.S. from Cuba on July 17 via Buffalo, N.Y., and Texas.

Ricardo Alarcon, president of the Cuban National Assembly, sent a special message that reaffirmed Cuba’s strong belief “that free and universal health care and education are inalienable rights that should be available for everyone, including the millions denied them in the United States.” [Go to workers.org to read Alarcon’s full message.]

In the U.S., recent figures reveal that 43 million people have no health insurance and 36 million of the uninsured lack access to even basic health care. However, the Cuban Revolution provides free quality health care to all and has virtually stamped out illiteracy by guaranteeing education to children and adults.

Berta Silva, an activist with SEIU/1199 —a union representing 275,000 health-care workers across the Northeast—avowed that her union “stands against any aggression against Venezuela and Cuba.”

Messages were delivered from Antonio Guerrero, one of the Cuban Five, from his prison cell in Colorado, and from his attorney, Leonard Weinglass.

Cheryl LaBash, from the Michigan Campaign to Free the Cuban Five, speaking on behalf of Judge Claudia Morcom, brought news that the Detroit City Council has passed resolutions in support of freedom for the Cuban Five and the extradition of Posada Carriles. LaBash encouraged activists to mobilize their city councils to follow Detroit’s example.

Pam Africa from the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and Bob Brown both reminded the crowd to unite the struggle to free the Cuban Five with the struggle to free Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners.

Ike Nahem, from Cuba Solidarity-N.Y., shouldered central organizing responsibility and closed the rally.

A tribute to the life of Black activist Damu Smith followed.

Others speakers and rally co-chairs included Juan Jose Gutierrez from Latino Movement USA; Ray LaForest, in solidarity with the struggle in Haiti; the Rev. Luis Barrios; Nellie Bailey from People of African Descent in Solidarity with Venezuela (PADS-V) and the Troops Out Now Coalition; Jeanette Caceres from ANSWER; Shirley Pate from the Vene zuela Solidarity Network; Mara Verheyden-Hilliard from the National Lawyers Guild; Bob Brown representing Pan African Roots; Sobukwe Shakura from the All-African People’s Revolu tionary Party; a representative of the Colombian struggle; Ann Marie from Beacon School in New York; Sam Manuel from the Socialist Workers Party; Larry Holmes from the International Action Center and the Million Worker March Movement; and Julie Fry from the NY Committee to Free the Cuban Five and FIST.

Those invited but unable to attend included Elma Beatriz Rosada Barbosa, widow of Filiberto Ojeda Rios—the Puerto Rican freedom fighter murdered by the FBI on Sept. 23, 2005—and Javier Rodri guez, a leader of the March 25 Coalition in Los Angeles that initiated the Great American Boycott for Immigrant Rights on May 1.

—David Hoskins, FIST organizer

Los Angeles

Los Angeles, May 20. WW photo: Bob McCubbin

Demonstrators took to the streets of Los Angeles to show solidarity with socialist Cuba and the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela on May 20. This important protest was held in response to a nuclear-powered U.S. war fleet and 6,500 Marines currently conducting maneuvers in the Caribbean that threaten Cuba and Vene zuela. The event also denounced the threat by U.S imperialism to many other countries around the world, as well as the growing demonization of immigrant workers in this country.

The demonstration called by the May 20th Coalition began with a rally in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building. There, speakers touched on many different topics, including the illegal occupation and ongoing war in Iraq, the lack of support from the city of Los Angeles to save the South Central farm, the blatant racism shown in the aftermath of Katrina and towards migrant work ers, and also continued solidarity with Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, and other countries that have been successful in removing some of the tentacles of U.S imperialism.

Mzuri Pamela of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party discussed the need for Black and Brown unity in this struggle. “The only way anything is going to get done is by getting over the hurdles placed in front of us in the forms of racism and other tactics set to keep us divided,” she stated.

After the rally, protestors marched with signs that read “U.S out of Cuba and Vene zuela,” “Stop the torture, Guan tanamo belongs to Cuba” and “Defend Cuba, Venezuela and immigrant workers from U.S. imperialism.”

Chants of “Que viva Cuba, que viva Venezuela,” could be heard for blocks. You could feel the passion and energy in the air as protestors began to fill up the plaza at Olvera Street at the end of the march, where another rally was held.

Rallies were co-chaired by Maria Aguero, a Peruvian activist; Naomi Craine, Socialist Workers Party; Don White, CISPES-LA; and John Parker, International Action Center. Ruth Vela, of San Diego FIST and the IAC, stressed the importance of recognizing that all of our struggles have one common enemy: imperialism. She stated, “We must celebrate socialist Cuba and revolutionary Venezuela and be proud that they are able to provide everyone in their countries with the best of the most basic things like food, clothes, housing and health care. Then they go further and offer that aid to others, including those people in the Gulf Coast who survived Hurricane Katrina only to face the racist neglect demonstrated by this government.”

Other speakers talked about the ongoing problems in Puerto Rico and Korea due to capitalist greed. Jamie Kim of the Korean Americans for Peace and Hwa Young Lee of the Korea Truth Commission discussed the connections between the struggle against U.S imperialism in Korea and the same struggles in Cuba and the Boliv arian Republic of Venezuela. Response to their message of resistance towards imperialism and solidarity with the accomplishments in Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia echoed amongst the crowd.

The message here in Los Angeles was clear: We must stand behind Cuba and Venezuela and let them be an example to the rest of us that our struggles are not in vain and we will continue to fight against the aggression of imperialism until it is stamped out completely.

End the blockade against Cuba! Long live the Cuban and Bolivarian revolutions! Hands off Cuba and Venezuela!

—Justino Jimenez, FIST organizer