International Caravans against the Blockade
Campaign News | Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Background and resources
Monthly caravans of car and bicycle cavalcades started in Miami in July in 2020 and have spread to several cities in the US since. They have been organised under the banner #Puentes de Amor (Bridges of Love) and led by Cuban-Americans calling for the US administration to allow families to be reunited by ending US travel restrictions, opening the US embassy in Havana for visa processing, and allowing them to send money home to families in Cuba - all actions that were restricted by the Trump administration and have not been reversed under Presdient Biden.
Get involved - download your FREE poster
Since March 2021, activists from around the world have joined the days of action from their homes and local communities. We recognise that it is not always easy for members to get to events held in city centres, even when there isn’t a pandemic. But there are many ways to show your support without having to travel far from home. You don’t need a car or to be part of a big group to take part.
There are many ways to join – be creative!
You can walk alone or with friends taking a Cuban flag, make your own sign or banner, use one of CSC’s designs, or just wear a campaign t-shirt for the day.
You can decorate your house with flags or signs, invite friends for a Cuban-themed event in your garden, fly a flag from your car or bike for the day. Anything that raises awareness of the blockade in your community is great.
If you are holding online events you can also get people to take an online action by holding up messages as we did at the All Members Forum.
If you want to find out if any local groups are organising caravan events close to you check out our events page and if you are a CSC local group organising an event, send the details to us so we can share them.
Whatever you do, just remember to take a photograph and send it to CSC or tag us on social media so that we can share all the UK-wide actions and include them in the next issue of CubaSí.
You can also share it yourself on social media using the hashtags #PuentesDeAmor, #NoAlBloqueo and #EndtheUSblockade.
Send your events, photographs, and any questions to communications@cuba-solidarity.org.uk and check the events page of our website to see if groups are organising caravans near you at cuba-solidarity.org.uk/events
Free posters and leaflets
We’ve produced two posters and a leaflet that CSC members can use. The posters shown below have the message ‘End the US blockade of Cuba, End the occupation of Guantánamo Bay’ and the other, CSC’s International Caravan poster, has a blank space for you to write your own message. You can download A4 versions of both versions below, or contact the office if you would like A3 versions to decorate your house or car, or to use at group actions.
Download the 'End the US blockade of Cuba, End the oocupation of Guantanmo Bay' poster here
Download the 'International Caravan' poster with room for your own message here
Please email communications@cuba-solidarity.org.uk or call and leave a message on 020 7490 5715. Posters can be sent to CSC members for free (although donations are always welcome!) but postage and printing costs will need to be charged for non-members and bulk orders. Cuban flags are also available from our online shop.
Our new blockade leaflets (a small island with a big heart) are also available for CSC groups to hand out at public events and can be ordered from the office.
Download 'A small island with a big heart' leaflet here
Forthcoming International Caravan dates:
World Day of Action ahead of UN vote on the blockade - Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 August
Blockade poster
Caravan poster (blank for your own message)
Small island with a big heart leaflet
