House votes to tighten Cuba blockade, protest rallies set

by Jim Genova & Jose Polacios

This article was reprinted from the September 30, 1995 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

In the latest attempt by the U.S. government to destroy Cuba's socialist system and induce mass hardship on the Cuban people, the U.S. House last week passed a bill (294- 130) to further tighten the illegal economic blockade of Cuba that has been in place for over 30 years.

Some of the provisions of the Helms-Burton bill, with its Senate version now awaiting a vote, are:

• A ban on importing into the U.S. of any sugar products from any country that purchases these products from Cuba.

• Harsher civil and criminal penalties on unlicensed travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba.

• It would instruct U.S. officials to vote against Cuba's membership in international financial institutions.

• U.S. would vote against Cuba joining the Organization of American States.

A new feature of this round of U.S. aggression is that it allows U.S. citizens -- including Cubans who became citizens after the 1959 revolution -- to sue for property nationalized by the Cuban government. Rafael Dausa, spokesman for the Cuban foreign ministry, said the bill "will not destroy Cuba's socialist system, but would only serve to impede efforts to reduce tensions with the U.S. and normalize relations."

In a dramatic speech at the opening of the U.N. General Assembly, Cuba's Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina warned the U.S. Senate and President Clinton that it is now on them to stop "the hand that stabs," referring to those sectors in the U.S. for whom the Cold War has not ended.

Robaina warned the General Assembly that Cuba will demand "actions that halt this madness because, if it succeeds, any of you could be the new victim tomorrow." The European Union has lobbied hard to defeat the bill because it would jeopardize many investments that European corporations have made in Cuba in recent years, primarily in the tourist industry.

Grassroots organizations in the U.S. have begun mobilizing mass demonstrations to voice the U.S. people's outrage over the bill and to demand that the Cuban respect for Cuba's self-determination. Demonstrations are scheduled for Oct. 14 in Chicago and San Francisco and Oct. 21 in New York City. They are being sponsored by the National Network on Cuba.

Judith Le Blanc, field organizer for the Communist Party USA, told the World that the Helm-Burton bill "once again reflects the relentless drive of U.S. corporations and their right-wing allies in Congress to impose U.S. control over Cuba." She called it "an international aspect of the Contract on America."

Cuba solidarity activists from the west coast and southwestern U.S. will converge on San Francisco's United Nations Plaza at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 before marching to Jefferson Square Park, at Turk and Laguna streets, in the Western Addition neighborhood. Bay Area demonstrators will be joined by a caravan from southern California as well as marchers from as far away as Texas, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon.

Popular support for normalizing relations with Cuba is growing rapidly, Holly Fincke told the World this week. Fincke, West Coast coordinator for the National Network on Cuba, said revulsion over the Helms-Burton bill is leading more people to support Cuba solidarity actions.

"The whole atmosphere has changed," Fincke said. "It's now a matter of getting the people who represent us to listen."

Fincke said she hopes the San Francisco and Chicago rallies will help set the tone for the New York rally which has been scheduled to precede the appearance of Cuba's President Fidel Castro before the United Nations. For information on preparations in your area call: (212) 227-3422 for the east coast; (312) 663-0527 for the Midwest; (415) 267-0606 for the west coast.