MN stands with Cuba on day of UN vote

St. Paul, MN — On October 28, roughly 50 activists rallied on a bridge over the Mississippi River to call for a lifting of the United States blockade on Cuba. The protest, organized by Women Against Military Madness (WAMM)’s Hands Off Latin America (HOLA) committee, coincided with the United Nations (UN) vote on the same day to end the embargo imposed by the US since 1960. The protest was a part of a National Day of Action organized by the National Network on Cuba.

Despite dark threatening skies and warnings of possible tornadoes, protesters held signs, Cuban flags, chanted and gave speeches for over an hour.

Showing resounding worldwide support for Cuba, the UN General Assembly once again overwhelmingly voted to end the US blockade. This critical vote comes at a time when the total oil embargo imposed by Trump in January 2026 is drastically undermining critical infrastructure and severely restricting access to necessities such as healthcare, food and water.

Cuba, which is notable for its robust healthcare system and advances in medical technology, now faces blackouts that can last 20 hours or longer, causing hospitals to struggle to keep lifesaving equipment operational.

Grace Gamble, a member of HOLA, told the crowd, “This vote was just a symbolic gesture and holds no actual authority over U.S. foreign policy. So, despite the majority of the world voting to end the blockade, it will remain until the U.S. Congress votes to end it.”

“We call on all nations, and all people here in the U.S. and around the world to stand in solidarity, fight for liberation and vote against U.S. intervention in Cuba,” added Gamble.

Nadiyah Salawdeh is co-chair of U.S. Palestinian Community Network’s Minnesota chapter, who recently traveled to Cuba. Salawdeh told the protest, “When I was in Cuba this summer, I heard several Cuban people refer to the U.S. blockade as a ‘silent Gaza.’ The U.S. blockade prevents hospitals from getting the equipment and medicine they need. Doctors and nurses are working heroically to perform miracles with no resources. Infant mortality is skyrocketing, reversing the extraordinary progress in maternal infant health that the government has made. Drinking water is making people sick. Food is getting scarcer and more expensive. Fuel is over $20 a gallon. Just like in Gaza, the U.S. blockade on Cuba is collective punishment and constitutes a war crime.” 

Salawdeh continued, “In Gaza, the Palestinian people are punished by Israel for daring to resist Israeli occupation. In Cuba, the Cuban people are punished for daring to maintain the Cuban revolution. This is not speculation. The empire has admitted this.”

Trent Fast from the MN Anti-War Committee stated, “Whether it’s Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine, or Minneapolis, the Trump administration is a rogue killing machine that needs to be stopped. We need to see through the lies coming from Washington about these countries. This is why organizing and developing a concrete analysis is so important. We need to focus on the fact that U.S. attacks, sanctions, and blockades are the primary reason for these countries’ struggles. Back in 2019, a Venezuela analysis report concluded that U.S. sanctions caused 40,000 deaths in Venezuela from 2017 to 2018 during Trump’s first term. For years, they’ve denied Venezuela the ability to import lifesaving medicines, equipment, and food.”

Fast continued, “In Cuba it’s long been a similar situation. However, in recent months the stranglehold has reached a new revolting level of megalomania from the Trump administration. And we know about the U.S. attempts to devastate Iran’s economy through coercive economic measures. The Iranian Rial recently sank to a new low of 2.5 million to one U.S. dollar. In Iran the cost of everyday items continues to soar, and food prices have more than doubled since last year.”

During the protest, HOLA organizers also did a banner drop from the Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge over Interstate 94 in downtown Minneapolis, where motorists responded with many honks.

As the situation in Cuba becomes more dire, HOLA vows to ramp up the fight to end the brutal U.S. blockade. The committee’s next event is to hold a watch party for the Anti-War Action Network’s Cuba webinar on November 15 at 2 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue, in Minneapolis.

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