Cuba's children, anywhere in the world, have a heart for Cuba

By María Josefina Arce

This is another day of love and solidarity.  Cubans living in different latitudes joined the virtual forum "Poniéndole corazón a Cuba" (Putting heart to Cuba), a new action in defense of the Homeland and its revolution, at a time when the United States is stepping up destabilizing actions in an attempt to subvert the constitutional order in the Caribbean nation.

The "Together for Cuba" initiative launched in Europe is the promoter of this meeting, which, according to its organizers, is a space to share experiences and strengthen support and aid activities for Cuba, affected like the rest of the world by COVID-19.

But it is also hampered in its fight against the pandemic and its development by the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for almost six decades.

An economic siege intensified during the mandate of the now former President Donald Trump, who adopted more than 200 measures against the Cuban people. Sixty of them even, under the adverse scenario of the disease caused by the new coronavirus and that the current administration of Joe Biden keeps intact.

Humane and noble has been the work in these months of pandemic of Cubans living in other nations, who have sent medical equipment and materials, through the contribution of money and the collection of donations.

In these donations there is also the hand of citizens of other nationalities who accompany Cuba in its struggle against the criminal blockade and sympathize with the Cuban revolution.

From Germany, France and Belgium, among other countries, invaluable aid has arrived. It was reported that in the first half of November another shipment to the archipelago will be prepared in Belgium.

But the actions of Cuban emigrants in these months have been much broader. They have participated in the various world caravans against the hostile U.S. policy and have demanded the lifting of the blockade.

And the fact is that there are countless Cubans living abroad who maintain a close bond with the country where they were born, a bond they have bequeathed to their children and grandchildren and which has been strengthened over time since the so-called dialogue of '78, promoted by the historic leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro.

Since then, a continuous and irreversible process of rapprochement has developed between Cuba and its nationals in the world, for as Fidel Castro stated more than four decades ago "...The Community exists. The Community is a force and the Community is taken into account".

And the vast majority of our compatriots residing in other parts of the world have proven to be an essential part of the Homeland and to never renounce their roots and that spirit of solidarity, humanism and struggle that our independence heroes instilled in us.