Kiev, December 19 (RHC-PL) -- Solidarity activists in Ukraine have gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev to an end the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

A statement signed by the directors of the Association of Friendship Ukraine-Cuba, who led the rally, notes that such action met with one of the agreements of the second Central European Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba.

It added that the protest coincides with the first anniversary of the release in the United States of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino and Antonio Guerrero -- Cuban anti-terrorist fighters who spent more than 16 years in prison for trying to prevent violent actions against their country.

The statement indicated that the newly established organization "Stop the Blockade against Cuba" joined the spirited rally with flags of the island, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, and banners demanding the closure of the base illegally occupied at Guantanamo, as well as the cessation of the current economic, commercial and financial blockade that has been in place more than 55 years.

A letter to U.S. President Barack Obama was presented at the U.S. embassy in Kiev to demand an end to the blockade and extend the hand of friendship to Cuba.

"For us, citizens of Ukraine, Cuba is a great friend who helped tens of thousands of our children after the tragic disaster of Chernobyl," according to the text of the solidarity statement.

Among the signatories of the letter were the Friendship Association Ukraine-Cuba, the Union of Combatants Internationalists "Cubans", the NGO Children in Tarara, and the Union of Veterans of Afghanistan (internationalist combatants), the Union of Veterans of Cuba, the Socialist Party of Ukraine in the city of Kiev and the NGO "Altera."