New York, September 27 (RHC)-- New York's Riverside Church was the venue Wednesday evening of a solidarity rally.  Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel and Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro were on hand.

Addressing some 2,000 participants, Diaz-Canel pointed out that at United Nations on Wednesday two brother peoples raised their voices.  Venezuela denounced all the aggressions it has been subjected to and also ratified its decision to continue the Bolivarian revolution, and to be faithful to the legacy of Hugo Chavez.

“Cuba also raised its voice with Venezuela, to support Venezuela, to support Nicaragua to support Puerto Rico, to support Latin America, to support the Palestinian and Sahrawi people, and to support all the just causes of the world and also to denounce, once again, the unjust blockade that, for almost 60 years the United States has imposed on us,” said Diaz Canel.

The Cuban president thanked participants at the event for their warm welcome and expressed his appreciation to friends of Cuba and Venezuela in New York.  “In this city, miracles like these only happen here, in the Riverside Church,” and he described it as cathedral of faith and solidarity.

'Cuba also owes a lot to international solidarity and to the help of many friends and activists here in the United States, among whom there are many Cubans residing here.'

“The most recent demonstration was the fight for the return of the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters and, before, for the return of Elian Gonzalez,” he recalled.

The event was organized by Cuba solidarity organizations in the United States, and was attended by former U.S. congressman and long-time friend of Cuba, Charles Rangel.