The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) and supporting organizations convened a People’s Tribunal on Sunday, February 22 in Toronto following a National Day of Action on Saturday to charge the U.S. government with “unilateral and illegal intensification of the cruel economic war it has waged against Cuba and her people for more than six decades.”
“The results of these deliberations are clear and unequivocal,” the CNC states in their final declaration. “The U.S. state, and the Trump Administration in particular, has been found guilty of crimes against the Cuban people and Cuba’s right to national self-determination. These policies and threats violate Cuba’s sovereignty, violate the sovereignty of other countries and are a violation of the principles and foundations of international law. The U.S sanctions against Cuba must not be allowed to stand.”
The Tribunal was held at the United Steelworkers Hall on Cecil Street, promptly following a rally of more than 300 people at the U.S. consulate. The CNC launched the Let Cuba Live campaign in response to the Trump administration’s fuel blockade.
No oil has been shipped to Cuba since new sanctions were placed on Venezuelan oil and the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Blackouts on the island are spanning more than 30 hours at a time. Backup generators can no longer keep up with the needs of an entire island.
The Tribunal called witnesses from multiple organizations across Toronto to speak on the issue, including the Caribbean Solidarity Network, the Canadian Federation of Students, the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, the Association of Cuban Residents in Toronto, and more. The broad coalition of individuals and organizations participating in the Tribunal and Day of Action rallies speaks to the necessity of unity during times of crisis.
“It is not just an act of solidarity, it’s seen as one people fighting against U.S. imperialism,” said Ghassan from the Palestinian Youth Movement. “We are all part of the same fight, whether here on Turtle Island, whether in Cuba, whether in Venezuela, or Palestine, our fight is one.”
Each witness spoke on the wide scope of impacts on Cuban society and the realities of similar sectors here in Canada that fall behind Cuban achievements with far more access to resources. Every facet of life on the island has been hurt by the sanctions and restrictions on oil. Students can no longer get transport to school and workers can no longer get to their workplaces. Banks are closed. Hospitals are operating in the dark. Farmers can’t operate their machinery. For more than 65 years Cuban ingenuity has maintained the island’s essential services and incredible progress on limited resources, but resources are no longer just limited – they’re nonexistent.
While the Canadian government spends billions of dollars on imperialist wars that do not support Canadian workers interests, the solidarity movement is calling on the federal government to do more to support the Cuban people. The Canadian and Cuban people share close bonds expressed through tourism, arts, culture, athletics, trade, labour union solidarity, and unbroken diplomatic relations for more than 80 years. The Canadian state has a particular responsibility toward Cuba; $8 million in aid through the United Nations is not enough in the face of this humanitarian crisis. These sentiments were echoed by each witness as they drew connections between successes in Cuba that far outweigh Canadian standards including access to education and global healthcare support.
As young communists, we must understand that the escalations toward Cuba and the Latin American region as a whole are a direct result of the crisis of capitalism in its highest stage – imperialism. Cuba’s sovereignty and success are threats to imperialism. Socialist system intact, Cuba stands as an inspiration for the emancipation of workers everywhere. Indeed, U.S. control of Venezuelan oil not only yields direct economic benefits for oil monopolies but also aims to break the solidarity between Latin American countries and Cuba.
“To think that the difference between these countries began with the Cuban revolution is to have a limited understanding of the problem,” said Consul General Víctor Manuel García Sánchez in his opening address of the Tribunal. “Since colonial times in Cuba, the United States of America had already expressed her interest in controlling and dominating the island.”
We must defend socialist Cuba in our aims of building socialism in Canada and fostering a global system of peace and prosperity rather than war and austerity. The People’s Tribunal was only the beginning of the resurgence of youth involvement in the Cuban solidarity movement.
The YCL-LJC has always stood firm in our commitment to supporting the Cuban people and their revolution; and we reiterate our stance in the face of ongoing imperialist aggressions. YCLers, and all those who fight for a more just future, should prioritize agitation around Cuba solidarity and defending the right to self-determination across all of Latin America. We must play leading roles in our organizations and actively work to bring new members into the movement through our schools, community networks, and workplaces.
Cuba will never be alone! ¡Hasta la Victoria Siempre!