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You are here: Frontpage > News > Caravan of food and supplies to Cuba begins its trip from Southern Texas and moving through Mexico.

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23-Jul-2004

Caravan of food and supplies to Cuba begins its trip from Southern Texas and moving through Mexico.

by: Pastors for Peace

North America: The Pastors for Peace is a project of the Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) that is based in Harlem and have been educating US citizens about the immorality of current US policy toward Cuba since 1992. One of their actions is to deliver goods that are in very short supply in Cuba, such as hospital equipment, medical supplies, computers, bicycles, and school supplies. They organize ‘Friendshipments’ of which this will be the 15th.

Despite their range in age (10 to 91) and coming from many different countries, such as the USA, Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, and Mexico and representing a vast cross section of religious, economic, political and personal beliefs, they are united in their displeasure with the American economic blockade of Cuba that has been in place since 1962.

One of the consequences of the blockade is that Cuba can not trade freely with other countries, and has difficulty accessing medications and modern medical equipment resulting in the collapse of one of the most advanced health care systems in the world as well as producing unnecessary suffering. This action not only protests the suffering of the Cuban people, but also the travel restrictions against US citizens.

Prior to their logistical activities in San Juan, Texas, the Caravanistas spent the last 3 weeks on the road visiting over 100 cities along 13 routes, collecting the aid and talking to church and community groups in every city. Despite risking being punished by OFAC for taking the aid, they took their time organizing themselves sorting the humanitarian aid, attending meetings on cultural sensitivity and non-violence training, and making repairs on numerous school buses and trucks.

The IFCO Executive Director, Rev. Lucius Walker feels that “Our strength is derived from our willingness to follow our conscience in the face of efforts to make a cruel and inhumane blockade even more punitive” and commented that “Our nation's foreign policy is too important to leave to the exclusive domain of politicians. How we relate to our brothers and sisters in Cuba is not something I want President Bush, or Colin Powell to be in charge of. The US is at a point in its history when it needs more friends. But instead of making friends, the Bush administration seems intent on making enemies.”

As if to illustrate this point, upon arriving at the border, the Caravan was met by over 40 agents belonging to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that as part of its responsibilities enforces the sanctions against Cuba, who handed out letters threatening any participant with fines upon their return, “took video, photographed and hovered overhead in helicopters". The associate director of Pastors for Peace, Ellen Bernstein, dismisses such letters commenting "There is nothing new in these letters. We won't be stopped. We won't be told how and where and how many can travel to meet with our Cuban brothers and sisters.”

After crossing the border, the Caravan will then travel to Tampico, Mexico, where the humanitarian aid will be unloaded and shipped, by boat, to Cuba. The Ecumenical Distribution Committee in Cuba will distribute the aid. The "Caravanistas" will then return on July 19 and, in a reverse challenge, attempt to bring Cuban products back into the United States.

Source: IFCO/Pastors for Peace