Thank you for your solidarity. Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for 2025
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign team sends all friends and supporters best wishes for the coming year. We hope you have a peaceful and relaxing break and we thank you for all the support that you have given to Cuba and CSC over the past twelve months.
In the last four years we have used this annual end of year email to call on the Biden administration to reverse the 200-plus sanctions and punitive measures imposed under the presidency of Donald Trump. We have highlighted how they, together with Cuba’s continued designation as a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’ (SSOT), have created the worst shortages in recent history for the Cuban people. As we write, we are just weeks away from a second Trump term.
The next four years will be critical. Trump’s White House appointments have Cuba firmly in their sights. They say they want to support and help the Cuban people, but we know they will pursue policies that seek to tighten the blockade even further, fund and promote unrest on the island, and make it even more difficult for solidarity organisations to visit and provide material aid.
Just as the Cuban people have stood firm to defend their sovereignty and Revolution for more than 65 years, the solidarity movement must draw strength and inspiration from this example and match the coming attacks on Cuba with increased solidarity and resolve.
Throughout this year we have been overwhelmed by the magnificent response to the Cuba Vive medical aid appeal which was launched in February. More than £135,000 has been raised so far and the first two deliveries of aid will arrive in Cuba in the New Year, with more scheduled for 2025. Our aim is to continue the appeal throughout 2025, or as long as it is necessary to meet the urgent need for life-saving medical aid. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far and for all those who are planning to do so. Donations and more information about the appeal can be found here.
CSC local groups have organised Cuba Vive events across the country to raise awareness and money including gigs, salsa classes, quizes and even speed dominoes. Local group meetings and activities can be found on our events page.
We have had another busy year of running fringe meetings at labour movement conferences in 2024, with stalls and meetings at the FBU, CWU, PCS, NEU, GMB, UNISON, TUC Congress, Labour Party and others.
In March we organised Screen Cuba, our first Cuban cinema festival which was a great success and is set to return in March 2025. In June the RMT Cuba Garden Partymade a welcome return after a five-year hiatus. Next year’s event has already been confirmed for 11 June, so save the date!
The Director of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Rigoberto Zarza Ross, spoke at this year’s AGM which paid special attention to Cuba’s solidarity with Palestine.
We continue to organise brigades and tours to Cuba and are taking bookings for May Day trips including the Young Trade Unionists Brigade and May Day Study tour. You can book or find out about both of these trips and more on our Cuba Travel Shop page.
We welcomed a new Cuban ambassador Her Excellency Ismara Vargas Walter to Britain this year. She has already visited several cities in Wales, Scotland and England and spoken at trade union conferences and meetings in her first few months in post. Ismara will also speak at the Latin America Conference on 8 February alongside Aleida Guevara, Che’s daughter.
Our work would not be possible without the dedication and support of our members and supporters: taking actions, attending events, donating, and sharing our activities on social media. ¡Muchas gracias a todos!
Thank you also to everyone who reads this update and has followed our work through the year. If you are not already a member of CSC, please consider joining here.
If you are a member, and are in a position to, please donate to help us build our work in 2025.
We wish you and your loved ones a safe and Happy New Year and all the best for 2025.
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign Team