During a panel on the blockade at the 18th Meeting of Cubans Residing in Europe (ECRE), Amado Ariol, coordinator of the project “You Have to Love Cuba” (*A Cuba hay que quererla*), shared his experiences distributing solidarity aid on the island.

Ariol recounted how a mother, whose daughter had terminal cancer, asked him to pass on some of the aid-supplied medication—which had arrived in Cuba through solidarity efforts—to other people in need. She sent her son, Rafael, a young cameraman, to assist.

Rafael remarked, “The thing is, sometimes we ‘good people’ go our separate ways, but we need to walk together.” Ariol suggested applying this principle to the entire solidarity movement for the island, emphasizing the need for ironclad unity in the face of a “virus” named Donald Trump.

During the panel, this idea was further developed by representatives from Catalonia, who proposed coordinating efforts among national solidarity groups across European countries, as well as among the various coordinating bodies in Europe.

Other notable experiences were also shared, such as staging theatrical performances to raise funds, or distributing appeals for solidarity contributions during a May Day demonstration in Norway—an initiative that successfully raised money to provide electricity for a hospital in Matanzas.

Additionally, a positive example was shared from a Swiss canton, where a resolution in support of Cuba was brought to a vote, resulting in the allocation of funds for sending medicine to the island, as well as solar panels to support the energy sovereignty of another hospital in Cuba.

Furthermore, another [session/event] is planned regarding cultural heritage and communications—with an emphasis on the battle on social media—as well as another concerning activities for the centenary of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

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