Portland protesters say: ‘End the blockade of Cuba’

Portland, Oregon. Oct. 25, 2025.

Portland, Oregon — Nearly a dozen Portland groups addressed the theme “Resist U.S. economic sanctions and military intervention worldwide” at a Portland, Oregon, rally and educational event on Oct. 25 to protest against the blockade of Cuba.

For the 33rd time, on Oct. 29, the United Nations General Assembly will vote almost unanimously to condemn the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba. The U.S. and its ally Israel will undoubtedly vote against the motion, as they have every year, ignoring votes from the other 178 U.N. countries. 

John Waller from End the Blockade of Cuba – PDX declared the event an “important step in building local alliances between solidarity organizations in resisting not just [President Donald] Trump but the U.S. empire whose leadership he currently fronts.” 

Waller said going to Cuba changed his life. He urged people to travel to Cuba to help end the blockade and to see for themselves the benefits of a working socialist country. 

Dan Shea from Veterans for Peace addressed Trump’s increasing attacks on Venezuela as a drive to dismantle the socialist gains made under President Nicolás Maduro and Hugo Chávez before him. The U.S. also wants control of Venezuela’s huge oil reserves, largest in the world, and other raw minerals such as gold and diamonds. 

Shea traveled to Venezuela as part of a delegation in 2019. He described the accessible housing, food and health programs implemented by Maduro. Venezuela’s poverty rate has been cut in half and extreme poverty reduced by 70% since 2003. He also observed the similarities he saw between Venezuela and socialist Cuba as well as the ways Cuba has aided Venezuela’s development. 

Two speakers from Jewish Voice for Peace pointed out connections between the genocidal U.S./Israeli war on Gaza and the U.S. blockade of Cuba. Students from the Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines connected both struggles with the U.S.-funded forced migration and genocide taking place in the Philippines. Members of Al Awda, Venceremos Brigade and Workers World Party were some of the other speakers at the event.

The U.S. government has been attempting to destroy Cuba and its socialist revolution since 1959. Its main weapon in this war has been genocidal economic sanctions as a stated attempt to starve the Cuban people into submission. The U.S. fears the political inspiration that socialist Cuba provides to struggles elsewhere in the world.