Monday 9 June 2025 – Brighton. On the sidelines of the 2025 GMB Congress in Brighton, trade unionists, campaigners and internationalists gathered in solidarity with the Cuban people at a packed fringe meeting titled “Hands Off Cuba!”, hosted by the GMB North West & Irish Region, and supported by Cuba Solidarity Campaign and Thompsons Solicitors.
The meeting, chaired by GMB National President Barbara Plant, featured powerful interventions from Jo Pitchford, GMB Branch Secretary from Bolton; Rob Miller, Director of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign; and Pablo Ginarte, First Secretary of the Embassy of Cuba in the United Kingdom, speaking on behalf of Ambassador Ismara Vargas Walter.
In his address, Pablo Ginarte delivered a strong and urgent message about the dire humanitarian and economic impact of the intensified U.S. blockade, which has now entered its seventh decade and continues to strangle Cuba’s development. He warned that the re-election of Donald Trump signals a new wave of hostility, with over 240 additional sanctions imposed during his first term – many of which remain in force.
He denounced Cuba’s ongoing and unjust inclusion on the U.S. list of so-called “State Sponsors of Terrorism”, calling it politically motivated, baseless, and rejected by the international community. He emphasised that this designation has devastating consequences for the Cuban people, cutting the island off from international banking and trade, and severely restricting access to essentials like food, fuel, and medicine.
Addressing a recent diplomatic escalation, Ginarte condemned the conduct of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, stating:
“Diplomatic immunity is not a licence for subversion. The U.S. Embassy should be a space for diplomacy, not for inciting unrest, not for interfering in our sovereign affairs. Cuba will not tolerate these actions.”
Yet, in the face of this aggression, Ginarte reaffirmed the determination of the Cuban people to resist with dignity and creativity:
“Despite shortages and constant pressure, Cuba stands firm. Education, healthcare, equality, and peace, these are not just values of the Revolution, they are rights we continue to defend.”
He offered heartfelt thanks to GMB members and the wider British trade union movement for their longstanding solidarity:
“Your support matters. Every donation to Cuba Vive, every motion passed, every letter to a Member of Parliament – these are real acts of internationalism. Cuba stood with the people of South Africa against apartheid. Today, we ask you to stand with us against economic apartheid.”
Jo Pitchford and Rob Miller echoed these points, sharing practical steps GMB members can take to continue their solidarity work, and stressing the need to keep Cuba’s case at the forefront of international campaigns against sanctions and economic coercion.
The meeting concluded with renewed calls to demand an end to the U.S. blockade, to remove Cuba from the so-called terrorism list, and to intensify solidarity across the trade union movement.
The Cuban Embassy in the United Kingdom extends its deepest gratitude to the GMB, the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, and all those who continue to defend truth, justice, and sovereignty.
Hands off Cuba!
