Campaigns vs. Economic Blockade to Cuba Organized in Washington

Activists from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico will star in this capital from today until Friday, Sept. 18, the Days of Action Against the Blockade, to denounce the political history of sanctions imposed by Washington to Havana.

Convened by the International Committee for Peace, Justice and Dignity to the Peoples and IFCO/Pastors for Peace, the solidarity campaign will aim to carry out about 44 visits to offices of the U.S. Congress -37 from representatives, and seven of senators- with a view to advocate for the cessation of the commercial and financial blockade of more than 50 years against the neighboring island.

According to organizers, those actions will be supported by groups of solidarity with Cuba in other U.S. cities and also in countries such as Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Among the solidarity figures with the Caribbean nation who will attend the event this week in Washington DC are writers and academicians Stephen Kimber, John Kirk, and Arnold August, from Canadian.

Also on the list are Puerto Rican independence leader Rafael Cancel Miranda, and Jan Susler, lawyer of also Puerto Rican patriot, Oscar Lopez Rivera, a prisoner in this country for more than 34 years.

Religious people, social activists, lawyers, trade unionists and graduates from the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba also will join to the claim of lifting the blockade, a policy President Barack Obama has acknowledged as failed, and on which he has asked to open a debate in the Congress .

The agenda of activities includes tributes to close activists to Cuba, such as Saul Landau and Lucius Walker, leader of Pastors for Peace.