GMB – hypocrisy of Cuba’s designation as SSOT highlighted by GMB president
Campaign News | Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Cuban Ambassador Ismara Mercedes Vargas Walter urged GMB members and trade unionists across the movement to continue supporting Cuba and CSC, as the island struggles with its worst economic crisis in decades.
Ross Holden, GMB National Policy Officer and CSC Exec member, celebrated Cuba’s long history of internationalism in his opening remarks as chair. In the year of the 30th anniversary of the fall of apartheid in South Africa, an event in which Cuba played a significant role, Ross paid tribute to Cuba’s commitment to looking outwards and sharing the gains of its Revolution with people all over the world.
GMB President Barbara Plant expressed her solidarity with Cuba and her dismay at its continued inclusion on the US government’s State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list, in part down to Cuba’s role in hosting peace talks between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN). Having visited Colombia on a trade union delegation, Barbara saw first-hand the positive role Cuba played in bringing peace to the country. She encouraged GMB members to sign CSC’s open letter calling for Cuba to be removed from the list.
The Ambassador expanded on Barbara’s words, explaining that “among the more than 240 harmful new measures and sanctions adopted by the Trump administration, we consider our inclusion on the SSOT list to be the most harmful.” It is merely a “pretext for imposing more coercive economic sanctions on Cuba” and has, as the Ambassador explained, made the purchase of supplies to sustain the public health system nearly impossible given the “cancellation of contracts and growing pressure on the banks worldwide.”
CSC director Rob Miller said that the current crisis means that Cuba’s celebrated health system is buckling under the pressure, with unprecedented shortages. He called on GMB members and branches to support the Cuba Vive medical aid appeal and the work of the campaign more broadly.
Thank you to GMB North West and Irish region for their support in hosting the fringe meeting.
