This month activists from Rock Around the Blockade and the Revolutionary Communist Group/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! demonstrated outside of branches of HSBC. The British bank is complying with unilateral US sanctions against Cuba. Imposing US sanctions on UK interests for dealings with Cuba is illegal under UK laws – most notably the 1996 Protection of Trading Interests Act.

Here are some photos and videos from around the country!

On 5 May Rock Around the Blockade co-hosted a screening of 'Cuba's Life task - combatting climate change' with Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! North East and the fantastic independent Star and Shadow Cinema

Star and Shadow: Cuba's Life Task - Combatting Climate Change

Rock around the Blockade extends its deepest sympathy to the families of victims in Cuba after an explosion at the Saratoga Hotel in Havana on 6 May, and wishes a speedy recovery to those hospitalised. The Department of Hospital Services of the Ministry of Public Health says that at least 26 people have died and 74 were injured. The emergency response is still underway at the time of writing and more bodies may be recovered.

On 30 April across the country activists from Rock Around the Blockade and the Revolutionary Communist Group/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! demonstrated outside of branches of HSBC supported by organisations including Cubanos En UK and Mafapo. The British bank is complying with unilateral US sanctions against Cuba. Imposing US sanctions on UK interests for dealings with Cuba is illegal under UK laws – most notably the 1996 Protection of Trading Interests Act.

Rock around the Blockade, a campaign in solidarity with socialist Cuba founded by the Revolutionary Communist Group, sends its deepest condolences to the Cuban people following the death of Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada at the age of 85, who headed Cuba’s US policy from 1962, serving as Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York on and off over 30 years, then Minister of Foreign Relations (1992 to 1993) and President of the National Assembly for two decades (1993 to 2013).

On 30 April in London, protesters targeted the branch of HSBC on Oxford Street demanding that the British bank remove socialist Cuba from its sanctions policy. The protest was called by Rock around the Blockade (RATB), the Revolutionary Communist Group/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! and supported by organisations including Cubanos En UK. This action was part of a campaign of protests by RATB coordinated across Britain on 30 April - more reports will follow.

Our participation in the monthly caravan protests against the US blockade of Cuba continued this month. These monthly demonstrations show support for Cuban socialism and the world's opposition to the genocidal US blockade. This month, activists from Rock Around the Blockade and the Revolutionary Communist Group continued their efforts to show solidarity with Cuba in the face of the US blockade, focussing on the effects that the blockade has on young Cubans. Get in touch if you'd like to participate in the activities next month! Here are some photos and videos from around the country:

London

The monthly caravan protests against the US blockade of Cuba continued this month, showing the world's opposition to the genocidal US blockade. This month, activists from Rock Around the Blockade and the Revolutionary Communist Group continued their efforts to show solidarity with Cuba in the face of the US blockade, recognised Cuba's effort to export their vaccines around the world and celebrated their democratic efforts to update the Family Code. Get in touch if you'd like to participate in the activities next month! Here are some photos and videos from around the country:

Newcastle

First published at www.frfi.org.uk

In December 2021 the Cuban National Assembly of People’s Power approved the 23rd draft of the updated Family Code. The document includes laws regarding families, marriage, domestic issues and the care of dependants. Legislators consulted the Cuban people throughout the drafting process, complying with Covid-19 related restrictions by using email and video conferences. From February, Cubans all over the country will have the opportunity to study and debate the contents of the draft, edits will be made as a result and a final draft will be subject to a referendum before it is ratified. Mariela Castro, head of the Cuban National Centre for Sex Education, laid out the intention behind the changes: ‘It will guarantee the rights of groups of people whose realities were not sufficiently understood at the beginning of the revolutionary process… This bill does resemble the society in which we live: a complex, diverse and plural society’.

First published at www.frfi.org.uk

On 25 January 2022 at a conference organised by the Progressive International, the Cuban government announced plans to provide 200 million doses per year of its Covid-19 vaccines to underdeveloped nations. This internationalist programme will include provision of vaccines at lower than market prices to poor countries, technology transfers to allow local production, and medical brigades to train local health workers in the delivery of the vaccines. With Cuba facing a difficult struggle to tackle inflation and boost economic growth, the success of its domestic vaccine drive and the export of vaccines for mutual assistance with other low-income countries will prove crucial. WILL HARNEY reports.