18th U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan

July 21, 2007

On July 19th, the 18th U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan arrived successfully in a port of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, on its way to deliver 60 tons of humanitarian aid destined for Cuba.

On July 17 th , U.S. Homeland Security Department agents stopped the caravan at the U.S.-Mexico border, searched caravan members' vehicles and confiscated a number of computers that were part of the aid shipment.

The Friendshipments have been organized annually by the Pastors for Peace since 1992 as a way to protest against the illegal U.S. blockade and to strengthen people-to-people relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

The Friendshipments are an expression of the unbreakable solidarity between the American and Cuban people. The Friendshipments are also part of the on-going struggle of the American people to end the government's 47-year old blockade.

For decades, the U.S. government has used every means at its disposal to overthrow the Cuban government and try to restore its own colonial domination of the island country. Economic blockade, military invasion, covert infiltration, and attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro are examples of the terrorist, outlaw tactics used by U.S. imperialism.

But despite this all-out war, the Cuban people continue to defend their independence and to build their country in accord with their own desires. The Friendshipments are one example of the American people's demand that the U.S. government end its cold war policy and recognize the sovereign right of the Cuban people to work out their own economic, political and social organization.