Rome, Oct 26 (Prensa Latina) The National Italy-Cuba Friendship Association (Anaic) is reportedly carrying out a fund-raising campaign to help the victims of hurricane Oscar that recently hit the eastern Cuban province of Guantanamo.

In a statement to Prensa Latina, Anaic president Marco Papacci said that the purpose of this initiative is also to express solidarity with the Cuban people, who have also been hit by a recent energy crisis, mainly as a result of the US economic, commercial and financial blockade against that nation.

In a recent communiqué, this friendship group pointed out that the criminal US blockade, which violates human rights, “affects all sectors of Cuban society and affects the lives of the population on a daily basis,” and urged to increase actions to denounce it and demand its end.

As a result of the initiative with the theme Energy for Life, a fund-raising campaign in favor of the Cuban people, managed to collect more than 11,000 Euros in only two days.

Papacci specified that, of that total, 5,000 euros were contributed by Anaic at the central level and the remaining 6,000 came from members of that organization and from many Italians who are joining this call, while the financial contributions continue to arrive.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel reported on October 22 that the death toll caused by hurricane Oscar rose to seven, while the material damage in the easternmost part of the country was high.

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Whoever attempts to insinuate that this country complains and lives begging for crumbs deserves the greatest repulse. They are mocking what is an example of tenacity and eagerness for independence without precedent in the world. No country could have resisted such an siege, for 64 years, without surrendering or disappearing.

Photo: José Luis

Author: Antonio Rodríguez Salvador | internet@granma.cu

october 25, 2024 

These days, a fallacious analogy of the U.S. blockade against Cuba is circulating in social networks which, as in other “theses” of the same kind, seeks to blame the victim for not being sufficiently willing, as well as to silence any possible condemnation of that monstrosity that does so much harm to the Cuban people.
With such an artifice, the blockade is compared to the limitations of a disabled person. It is claimed that this person has only two alternatives. One: to spend his life blaming the physical problem and survive with crumbs; two: to get used to his limitations and fight in such a way that one day he may even become a Paralympic champion.
Actually, the background of such an analogy is not new. For some time now, some economists, especially those who analyze the Cuban economy from media designed for hostile propaganda against our country, have wanted to present the blockade as a sort of static variable that does not generate new scenarios or change qualitatively in response to the dynamics of the system.
This is not only false, but also treacherous. If we were to establish an analogy, it would not be that of a person suffering from a disability, but that of a healthy and willing athlete who, in the middle of his career, is constantly being tripped and pushed.
Whoever attempts to insinuate that this country complains and lives begging for crumbs deserves the greatest repulse. They are mocking what is an example of tenacity and eagerness for independence without precedent in the world. No country could have resisted such an siege, for 64 years, without surrendering or disappearing.
The blockade is not something abstract, but a system of dynamic variables that not only acts in the punctual; it also acts on future decisions. In the face of any alternative to avoid suffocation, a new variable will always emerge to try to seal the vent.
More than a mistake, it would be foolish not to take this into account in plans, analyses and economic decisions. You can have a product of the highest quality and demand, but blocking it will always jeopardize financing, supply chains, and limit its market reach and price.
If the word “disability” is going to be mentioned together with the word “blockade”, a minimum of decency would advise that, in the first place, the damage that this monstrosity does to many Cubans who are disabled should be denounced.
Cuba is denied the acquisition of wheelchairs, equipment for the Braille system, prostheses of different types, among other humanitarian items.
It is almost impossible to have access to different equipment created for deaf people, such as cochlear implants, baby alarms, alarm clocks and wristwatches, or luminous bells, since the most affordable ones have in their composition more than 10% of material coming from the northern country.
Does our country really justify the blockade in its eagerness to do the impossible to make life easier for this extremely vulnerable sector, especially children? Who will dare to say so?
We are accustomed to the cynicism of those who have designed a system that for more than 60 years has not only sought to starve us into submission but, as part of the strategy of generating disenchantment, has killed thousands of Cubans, including many children, with invasions, sabotage or the introduction of infectious diseases, among other terrorist practices.
They are the same ones who only three years ago did the impossible to delay the Soberana vaccine or denied medical oxygen to the patients of covid-19, at the most critical moment of the pandemic, and now they exert pressure on shipping companies and banks so that we do not receive indispensable products.
So, those who parrot their speeches, whether they do it out of ignorance, naivety, propensity to banal thinking or a sort of Stockholm syndrome, should understand that, perhaps without intending to, they are placing themselves at the same despicable level.

Havana, Oct 25 (Prensa Latina) The call for an end to the US blockade against Cuba resounds in several countries globally on Friday, in which people reaffirm their solidarity with the island nation in the face of the complex crisis it is undergoing.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political parties signed a letter of solidarity with Cuba in the last few days following the recent energy crisis and the damage of hurricane Oscar in the country’s eastern region.

The MEPs demanded the immediate lifting of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States and acknowledged the enormous efforts made by the Cuban people to resist the consequences of the siege.

They underscored in the letter that the US blockade is “an act of political aggression and a clear violation of international law” which was seriously hindering the Caribbean country’s development.

The Communist Party of Finland also called for an end to the unilateral US measures and urged the international community to take action to put pressure on Washington to end its punishment against Cuba.

“The challenges Cuba is facing, such as the collapse of the national power grid, and shortages of food, medicine, and fuel are the result of the unjust trade blockade maintained by the United States,” the political organization expressed in a statement.

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Mexico City, Oct 25 (Prensa Latina) Cuba’s ambassador here, Marcos Rodriguez, today thanked the solidarity of the Richmeat company which, in conjunction with the Mexican Embassy in Havana, will donate food to the province of Guantánamo.

“We appreciate the solidarity the Mexican company Richmeat has shown, which, together with @EmbaMexCuba, is making a donation that will help the Guantanamo people who were hit by hurricane Oscar.

It is a worthy example of the deep relationship between our countries’, the diplomat pointed out in the social network X.

Richmeat’s note states that the humanitarian aid consists of 100 tons of seasoned mixed picadillo, equivalent to 250,000 units, which will allow the preparation of 750,000 portions of food made for the population.

The donation will be delivered tomorrow to the fridges of the Ministry of Domestic Trade in the eastern province of Guantanamo so that the corresponding authorities can deliver them to the victims.

It is worth mentioning that this donation is in addition to the humanitarian aid that the Mexican government has offered to Cuba’, he said.

Tropical Storm Oscar, which crossed the eastern part of the country as a category 1 hurricane, left a toll of seven dead and considerable material damage, in particular agriculture, power grid, roads and bridges.

The storm also caused significant rainfall in the eastern and central provinces for several days.

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Oct 24 (teleSUR) On Thursday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the sending of technical assistance to Cuba to overcome the country’s energy crisis.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established contact with the Cuban government to have the Federal Commission on Electricity of the Aztec country assist the Cuban technical teams.

Claudia Sheinbaum further stated that the shipment of fuel will be evaluated if necessary.

Mexico’s president assured that her country has always condemned the US blockade against Cuba for decades. «We will always support the Cubans», said the president.

He also reaffirmed the condemnation of Mexico to the US blockade against Cuba, one of the main causes of the energy crisis that the island is facing.

Sheinbaum assured that, in the upcoming vote at the United Nations on this blockade of Cuba, Mexico will ratify its condemnation of this unilateral sanction.

For several months Cuba has faced a deficit of thermoelectric generation, reaching a ceiling last Friday after the national Electro energy system was disconnected due to failures and breaks in the generation plants, which made the country dark.

As the days have gone on, the repair work of the generating plants has advanced, allowing more than 90% of customers in the capital to have electricity without power cuts.

Mexico, the United Nations, ALBA-TCP and other friendly nations in Latin America have shown their support for Cuba in the midst of the energy crisis, aggravated by the passage of Hurricane Oscar.

Havana, Oct 24 (Prensa Latina) Cuban organizations and institutions are collecting donations on Thursday, in a bid to help families affected by Tropical Storm Oscar’s passage through Guantanamo province.

Responding to an initiative from the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), several organizations and private citizens have been gathering clothing, toiletries, household items, toys and food, which will later be sent to the country’s easternmost region.

More than 600 youngsters from all over the island have organized into brigades to assist victims in Guantanamo, which is still under cyclone alert due, considering the dangers posed by the floods the storm left behind.

The Cuban Young Communist League (UJC) First Secretary, Meyvis Estevez, praised on social media actions by young Cubans, who have sent dozens of donations to the organization’s municipal and provincial committees.

Joining in the charitable endeavor, the Central Bank of Cuba has opened several official accounts to receive Cuban Pesos (CUP) for the victims.

These accounts are 0699983004299919 from the Banco de Crédito y Comercio (Bank of Credit and Commerce, BANDEC), 1299731002599715 from the Banco Popular de Ahorro (Peoples’ Savings Bank), and 0598770006615919 from the Banco Metropolitano (Metropolitan Bank S.A.)

Bank remittances can be made through electronic payment channels: ATMs, the Transfermovil app, or by depositing cash at any bank branch.

On Wednesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited the communities affected by the floods in San Antonio del Sur, Imias, and Maisi.

Speaking to locals, the head of State underscored that “these are complex times but we will overcome them. Guantanamo must not feel abandoned, it has all the country’s support”.

Diaz-Canel emphasized that “the first thing now is for all of us, with the support of the brigades, to solve the immediate problems -fallen trees, downed power lines, lifting affected houses, and ensuring communications”.

Contingents of power line workers from all provinces have moved eastwards to help restore electric power.

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Beijing, Oct 23 (Prensa Latina) Chinese media, on Wednesday, condemned the US blockade against Cuba and denounced its responsibility in the energy emergency the Caribbean nation is facing.

The Global Times published an illustration revealing how this commercial, economic, and financial siege is closely linked to the collapse of Cuba’s National Electro-energetic Grid (SEN) by preventing access to oil sources.

Media such as CGTN and Xinhua have also published information on the Caribbean nation’s situation, highlighting the consequences of these sanctions, and Cuba’s inclusion in Washington’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list.

Previously, Chinese citizens had expressed support for Havana in the current energy crisis and urged to lift the US blockade.

In statements to Prensa Latina, entrepreneur Huang Qiao Ming (Simon) assured that the US blockade is unfair and represents a big hardship for international trade.

However, he expressed the will to find alternatives to overcome this blockade, which currently represents an economic and financial war against the Caribbean nation.

“Trust, unity, and technology,” Simon advocated, alluding to the importance of working together and being aware that a better future is possible despite this siege.

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