Activists Defend Cuba Amid U.S. Charges
On Thursday, activist leaders voiced their support for Cuba, a country with a controversial history, in response to new charges from the U.S. regarding a decades-old incident involving the downing of civilian planes.
The Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL) held a gathering at the Liberation Center in Washington, D.C., promoting a message of solidarity against the Trump administration’s stance on Cuba. Speakers included representatives from the PSL and the Hatui Project, who reiterated claims from the Cuban government about the rationale behind the 1996 attack that resulted in the deaths of four U.S. allies of a Cuban dissident group.
This event came shortly after the Department of Justice announced a long-awaited legal measure against former Cuban leader Raul Castro and others involved in that incident. A speaker at the event suggested that the charges didn’t reflect any crime. “They are accusing him of an act of territorial defense that happened 30 years ago,” the PSL representative said to an audience of over a dozen attendees. “Let me be clear: this indictment isn’t justice. It’s a political maneuver designed by the Trump administration to justify another war.”
The speaker emphasized that, according to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, every country has the right to defend its territory from unlawful aggression. Organizers also distributed materials in support of Cuba at the Liberation Center, one of many venues established by the PSL across the nation for its causes.
The planes downed belonged to Brothers to the Rescue, a group known for its humanitarian efforts to offer assistance to those fleeing oppression in Cuba. The U.S. and the United Nations deemed that the planes were shot down over international airspace, contrary to concerns expressed by U.S. officials about escalating tensions.
President Trump’s administration has indicated that they may impose severe consequences on Cuba for its past actions. He has even remarked about the possibility of “occupying Cuba.” “After Cuba has gone through all diplomatic channels and the U.S. has disregarded its obligations, charging a 94-year-old former head of state with acts of defense doesn’t seem just,” the PSL speaker said. “It’s a fabricated excuse.”
Attendees also pushed for humanitarian aid to Cuba, linked to an initiative by the People’s Forum, a leftist nonprofit. Concerns have been raised about this group’s financial ties to entities supportive of the Cuban regime.
One PSL member criticized the sanctions imposed by President Trump, labeling them as “illegal” and harmful to the Cuban populace despite a long history of economic challenges in Cuba. “What would the U.S. do if Cuba conducted a flight over Miami?” another attendee asked, underscoring what they perceived as double standards in geopolitical conduct.
The conversation not only centered on defending Cuba but also touched on broader issues regarding border control and humanitarian needs. PSL’s Emily, who identified as a “first generation Haitian American,” expressed strong opposition to U.S. immigration policies and praised the pursuit of a peaceful, supportive global community.
“A world where families don’t live in fear and our resources support those in need is within reach, but it won’t be handed to us. We must come together to strive for that,” she remarked, highlighting a shared vision of solidarity across borders.
