The group was introduced during a public event in the capital of Georgia. Participants included Teamsters union members from Amazon, the Logistics Workers League, educators, and members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the National Lawyers Guild, among others.

A press release noted that all speakers addressed the impact of the economic, financial, and commercial blockade that has harmed the Cuban people for over six decades, and specifically the consequences of the oil blockade imposed more than six months ago, which seeks to drive the Caribbean nation to collapse.

Brenda Lopez, founder of the “Hands Off Cuba” committees—which originated in Los Angeles—explained that Cuba is “a living experiment, an example of what we fight for: affordable housing, as well as free healthcare and education.” However, she noted, the attempt to strangle Cuba through the blockade, sanctions, and its inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism has fueled emigration.

“The United States attacks Cuba because it represents an example of what is possible. Cuba prioritizes its own people and the peoples of the world, doing so despite the difficulties. Its resilience and the pride felt in its revolution serve as an example for the entire working class,” she emphasized. For her part, Anna Capati—a member of the San Diego “Hands-off Cuba” Committee and the National Lawyers Guild who recently traveled to Cuba—argued that “observing the successful health programs and literacy initiatives reveals what Cuba has contributed to the entire world through its example.”

Attendees decided that the group would focus specifically—given its composition and ties to local unionists—on building support for Cuba within Atlanta’s labor movement, a show of solidarity for which Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla expressed his gratitude in a message posted on the social media platform X.

jdt/mh/dfm