Representatives of the Cuban community residing in Italy delivered an open letter to Pope Leo XIV on Friday during his pastoral visit to Naples, denouncing the attacks by the United States against their country.
“The noble and compassionate people of Cuba are going through one of the most complex moments in their history,” but “they are standing firm, demonstrating resilience, dignity, and commitment to their homeland,” states the letter, which reached the Pope through the Archdiocese of Naples, according to Indira Pineda, a participant in this initiative, who spoke to Prensa Latina.
This document is similar to the one delivered the previous day to the Chamber of Deputies in Rome by members of associations of Cuban nationals residing in Italy. That text, also sent to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reaffirms their support for the Cuban Revolution, “united by love for the land of our birth.”
This initiative was one of the agreements reached at the 17th Meeting of Cuban Residents in Europe (ECRE), held in Rome from October 24 to 26 of last year. At that meeting, it was proposed that open letters be sent to members of parliament, the highest government authorities, and Pope Leo XIV, condemning the U.S. economic embargo.
The draft of this document, which includes the signatures of thousands of Cubans living abroad, gained even greater importance after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 29 aimed at preventing fuel shipments to the island.
The decision was made to implement the plan on Thursday in the capital, before the Italian Parliament and Government, and this Friday in Naples, before the Holy Father, as part of the protests against the presence in Italy of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the main promoters of the genocidal actions against Cuba.
“We wish to convey to His Holiness that the Cuban people are a people of peace who are experiencing a moment of grave crisis due to a brutal economic blockade. Our people are not a threat; we have never invaded or attacked. Cuba sends doctors, not bombs,” Pineda added in his statement.
In the letter, the signatories reaffirm “Latin America as a zone of peace, in a world where imperialism only causes wars and economic disasters,” and demand an end to the blockade imposed on Cuba for more than 60 years, “which constitutes a violation of human rights.”
On Thursday morning, Pope Leo XIV addressed the situation of the Cuban people, victims of the worsening criminal US blockade, during an audience with Marco Rubio. This topic was also discussed in the subsequent meeting between the Pope and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State.
The Holy Father’s concern about the increased US pressure on Cuba was evident on February 1st, when he spoke out against its intensification following Trump’s approval, three days earlier, of the aforementioned executive order.
The Holy Father then called for “a sincere and effective dialogue” between the “two neighboring countries,” given the consequences of such measures for the Cuban people, and prayed, “May Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre assist and protect all the children of that beloved land!
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
