Statement from the International Committee for Peace, Justice and Dignity
May 1, 2020
Yesterday there was an armed attack on the headquarters of the Cuban Embassy in Washington. The assault was added to the long list of terrorist attacks against Cuba and its diplomatic representations abroad organized and financed from the United States.
From the International Committee for Peace, Justice and Dignity, we repudiate with all our strength this new aggression, which far from appearing to be an isolated event is closely linked to the policy of hatred and extreme aggressiveness on behalf of the government of Donald Trump.
Along with the brutal tightening of the blockade, which prevents Cuba from acquiring equipment and supplies to deal with the pandemic including food and fuel. Only 24 earlier, the arrogant Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a press conference to spread solely to extend their campaign of slander and lies against Cuba's international medical cooperation that has been assisting the fight against the Covid-19 in many parts of the world.
Without the least bit of embarrassment Pompeo, who has admitted that the CIA taught him how to lie, steal and cheat, criticized South Africa and Qatar for requesting the cooperation of the Henry Reeve Cuban Medical Brigade specialized in Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics to confront Covid-19.
In this climate of extreme U.S. hostility, which has reached inhuman limits in the midst of a pandemic, the attack on the Embassy was carried out.
From all over the world there has been an immediate condemnation of the cowardly and criminal act that among the material damages, targeted the sculpture of Jose Marti on the front lawn of the Embassy, that had been dedicated last July 1. This act put the Cuban officials and diplomats in physical danger and the neighborhood in the vicinity as well.
The silence of the Trump administration has continued which after 40 hours has not condemned the attack. Meanwhile renowned Miami terrorist and their right wing anti Cuba congress man Marco Rubio, distanced himself from the attacker claiming he did not know him.
The police went to the scene when they received the report of the attack, and arrested the attacker, a 42-year-old man from Aubrey, Texas, the car in which he drove and the weapon used: an AK-47 rifle with several rounds of ammunition and a high-capacity magazine from which he fired 30 shots.
On the police report seen by the Associated Press the assailant was being charged with "Assault with intent to kill and possible hate crime." We cannot help but wonder where was the FBI or Secret Service when this man after driving 2000 miles from Texas just pulled up in front of the Embassy and started firing.
We repudiate the aggression and support the strong request of the Cuban government expressed by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez who demanded an exhaustive and quick investigation, the results of which will be shared with the Cuban authorities.
The Foreign Minister summoned the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Havana, Mara Tekach, and asked her how the United States government would react to an attack like this on any of its own embassies.
This attack is part of the brutal intensification of the blockade, the series of perverse aggressions and the attack on Cuban doctors, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic.
The hatred that the Trump instills into the mainstream society, its contempt for saving lives, its blockades of peaceful nations and the permanent threat of intervention only breeds more hatred and the rejection of humanity.
On the other hand, Cuba fills us with pride and hope, because it shows us that another kind of society is possible. Its doctors and health professionals, who are today under vicious attack, are the greatest example of humanism and solidarity.
For all of them who face the Covid-19 in Cuba, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and the Arab countries; for the Cuban workers, for their beautiful youth, for their heroic women; for the historic generation that made the Revolution of the humble, for a nation under the nose of the most powerful empire on the planet, we will dedicate this May 1st.
Because we love life and we will defeat death, we will put the flags on doors, windows and balconies, our houses will be the squares, and we will say loudly:
Stop the aggression against Cuba. All our solidarity with the Cuban Revolution!
The Blockade Kills Cuba Saves Lives; Long Live Socialist Cuba