Albany Cuba Solidarity, based in Albany, New York is proud to stand in solidarity with the Cuba Solidarity Committee of Puerto Rico as they fight against harassment by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In July, 2022 the Cuba Solidarity Committee of Puerto Rico conducted their 31st annual Juan Rius Rivera Brigade to Cuba to express their solidarity for and to learn from the Cuban people and the revolution they made in 1959.
In late August the FBI called or visited 60 people in Puerto Rico, most of whom were part of the July Brigade. The cop agents claimed to be investigating the violation of “federal law.”
Then in September the FBI contacted at least six people in the United States who oppose the US embargo against Cuba.
As Milagros Rivera, president of the Cuba Solidarity Committee of Puerto Rico said in September, the group is being targeted “because even though we live in a US colony, we dare to give solidarity to Cuba and the Cuban people. We’re going to keep telling the truth, that Cuba is an example for the whole world.”
Here in Albany, New York activists in Albany Cuba Solidarity could not agree more!
Our group is also dedicated to getting the truth out about Cuba, in the face of a 60-year, brutal economic embargo against Cuba by both the Democratic and Republican administrations over that long period.
We stand with you in letting all who are interested in our work know: there is never any obligation or reason to talk to the FBI.
We feel it is important for the people of the US to learn about Cuba and to visit it to learn about the Cuban revolution first hand.
We feel a special responsibility to defend our brothers and sisters in the Cuba Solidarity Committee of Puerto Rico because Puerto Rico is a colony of the United States. The failure of the US to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017 and once again by Hurricane Fiona just last month shows the real relationship between the US government and Puerto Rico.
The FBI aims to silence the Puerto Rico group. But more: we know they have an over 80-year history of going after freedoms and constitutional right of unions, opponents of US wars, Black rights supporters, and others inside the US.
An injury to one is and injury to all!