Lebanon Holds Rally in Solidarity with Cuba in the Face of U.S. Threats
The Popular Campaign in Support of Palestine and the Causes of the Nation expressed its solidarity with Cuba during a rally held in the halls of the As Safir headquarters in the Lebanese capital, which was also attended by the general coordinator, Professor Maan Bashour; the Secretary-General of the Arab National Congress, Dr. Maher Al-Taher; a member of the General Secretariat of the Arab National Congress, Dr. Mohamed Hasab Al-Rasul; the campaign’s spokesperson, Dr. Nasser Haidar; as well as members of the Campaign and representatives of various Lebanese and Palestinian organizations.
The meeting opened with a minute of silence for those who fell during the Zionist aggression in Lebanon, followed by remarks from the General Coordinator, the Secretary General of the Arab National Congress, and the member of the General Secretariat of the Arab National Congress.
Cuban Ambassador Jorge P. León Cruz took the opportunity to convey his sincere gratitude to the organizers of this momentous event of solidarity with Cuba, which also stands in defense of international peace and security, and highlighted the following messages:
In this centennial year of the birth of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, we recall how, on September 26, 1960, at the UN General Assembly, he declared: "Let the philosophy of plunder disappear, and the philosophy of war will have disappeared!”—a statement that remains fully relevant today as we see the U.S. government implementing its policy of attempting to plunder and appropriate the resources of independent nations, imposing the law of the jungle, supporting genocide against Palestine and Lebanon, carrying out imperialist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and unleashing war in the Middle East.
In its aggressive policy against Cuba, the U.S. government undermines international peace and security, violates international law, and flagrantly violates international humanitarian law. The recent filing of criminal charges against the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, is a morally despicable act. It is an arbitrary and illegal act by U.S. courts, which manipulates the location of the downing of the aircraft, which occurred in the airspace and territorial waters of Cuba. It misrepresents and justifies the frequent terrorist and illegal flights operated by the Miami-based terrorist organization Brothers to the Rescue, which violated U.S. laws themselves, with the impunity and complicity of U.S. authorities, and seeks to disregard the right of states to self-defense.
The oil and energy blockade that the United States imposes on Cuba is a naval blockade; it is an act of war and genocide; it is a cruel and discriminatory policy against the Cuban people that causes deaths, as reflected in the doubling of the infant mortality rate, which rose from 4.0 to 9.2 per thousand live births, and the reduction in life expectancy for children with cancer from 85% to 65%.
Cuba has reiterated that a U.S. military attack against Cuba would result in a bloodbath. Thousands of Cubans would die defending their homeland, and young Americans would also die—without a cause or ideal to defend—but dragged into violence by an imperialist, neo-fascist policy of domination, plunder, and conquest.
Cuba is not and cannot be a threat; nor is it or does it wish to be an enemy of the United States, despite significant differences with its government. There are no foreign bases in Cuba, nor are there foreign forces operating against the U.S. from our territory. The only military base in Cuba is the one at Guantánamo, illegally situated on Cuban territory.
Cuba is facing unprecedented unilateral aggression from the United States, which uses intimidation and “secondary” sanctions—applicable to third parties—to threaten and coerce other countries into compliance with its imperial designs.
Cuba calls on the international community to mobilize and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe that could be imposed, whether through military aggression, an energy blockade, or the extreme tightening of the embargo.
Cuba requests support from all its friends around the world to maintain Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and prevent destabilization in the region.
The Global South is called upon to engage in broad international coordination, transcending political differences, ideological approaches, and historical disputes, to put a stop to and prevent aggressions that threaten and harm the national interests and sovereignty of states.
If we were to be attacked, if a war we do not want were imposed upon us, the Cuban people would face it with determination and resolve, determined to defend Cuba’s sovereignty and independence.
We know that Cuba is not alone in this struggle, and we are receiving countless expressions of solidarity and support from governments, parliaments, political forces, prominent figures, nongovernmental organizations from a wide range of social sectors, Cubans living abroad, solidarity groups, individuals, and international organizations, to whom we reiterate the Cuban people’s deepest gratitude.
For this reason, we take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the organizers of this important event and to all of Cuba’s friends.
Thank you to all the friends around the world who stand in solidarity with Cuba. Thank you to all those who are mobilizing against those who threaten the peace of our children, youth, women, men, and elderly.
We will resist, we will move forward, and we will prevail.
Finally, a communiqué was issued in which the attendees reaffirmed their solidarity with Cuba in the face of threats of U.S. military aggression against the Caribbean island, which has served as an example for many liberation movements in Latin America in their struggle against imperial oppression.