Today, 30 December, the 64th anniversary of the founding of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the ‘World Marathon of Love for Cuba’, an initiative promoted by the Continental Network of Latin America and the Caribbean for Solidarity with Cuba and Just Causes, was launched at a virtual press conference.This event will mark a milestone in the actions of solidarity movements that will carry out the most diverse solidarity activities throughout the year 2025.
The president of ICAP, Fernando González, thanked the friends of our country for their support so that Cuba's struggle transcends all borders. He stressed the importance of this initiative, through which various actions of political solidarity and economic aid to Cuba will be carried out’, just in the context of increased hostility towards the island with the return to the White House of President Donald Trump and his announced policy of “maximum pressure”, which is already causing considerable damage to the Cuban people.
The campaign against the genocidal policy of the US government, especially for the end of the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed on the Cuban people and the exclusion of Cuba from the list of states that allegedly sponsor terrorism, constitute the objectives of this World Marathon of Love for Cuba.
He also pointed out the seriousness of the ongoing international conflicts, encouraged by the current administration of the North American country, as well as the intensification of the blockade, and the attempts to surrender our people and overthrow the Cuban social and political project.
This marathon of solidarity, which will mobilise all those who identify with social justice and will reach the most diverse sectors of society on all continents, will once again reaffirm that Cuba is not alone and that #TumbaelBloqueo is not just a hashtag in the digital and communicative sphere, it is the determination of many in the world to accompany it to put an end to this imperial policy’.
In this sense, the ICAP President urged social movements and solidarity organisations to ‘close ranks to strengthen and consolidate the confrontation with the media campaigns against Cuba and the struggle for peace in the world, defending Latin America and the Caribbean to continue to be a Zone of Peace’.
He expressed that Cuba can count on the example of the historic leadership of Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro, as well as the capacity for resistance and resilience of the Cuban people, under the leadership of our president and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel. He assured that Trump will have his four-year term, he will apply the harshest measures and a new US administration will come, like so many others that have passed, but the Cuban Revolution will continue to be there, firm and on its feet in the struggle to eliminate the blockade.
The Marathon of Love for Cuba, defined by its organisers as a race of resistance and resilience, will go through several phases. In the geopolitical order it aims to mobilise the people, showing them the truth of the Cuban reality and the need to break the genocidal blockade of Cuba and all the political and economic solidarity activities of the different campaigns in each of the countries will be part of this initiative, which will be closed on 30 December 2025, coinciding with the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of ICAP.